Use of Titanium Mesh During Frontal Sinus Setback in Facial Feminization Surgery: Clinical Outcomes and Perspectives

Abstract

Brow position, hairline shape, and forehead projection may confer cis-feminine identity, and facial feminization surgery (FFS) can improve gender dysphoria among transfeminine patients. Depending on the Ousterhout classification, burring, osteotomy, anterior frontal sinus setback, and augmentation, with subsequent fixation via metal or bioabsorbable plates, can address forehead projection. However, titanium mesh, often used in frontal sinus fracture repair, has not been described for forehead contouring in FFS. The purpose of this study was to study clinical outcomes associated with the use of titanium mesh for the stabilization of bone following anterior frontal sinus setback. A retrospective cohort study of trans-female and nonbinary patients undergoing primary FFS by our senior author between January 2021 and February 2023 was performed. Variables collected include demographics, Ousterhout classification, operative details, complications, and follow-up duration. Patients with prior FFS or facial trauma were excluded. Data were analyzed using SPSS, (IBM, Armonk, NY). Forty-three transfeminine patients were included for analysis. The cohort had an average age of 33.0±8.7 years and a median follow-up time of 3.0 months (IQR = 1.0–7.0). Among our cohort, 26 patients (60.5%) received titanium mesh and 17 patients (39.5%) underwent burring only for forehead contouring. There were no reported complications (ie, infection, hardware extrusion, or mucocele formation) or a need for forehead revisions among the entire cohort regardless of the frontal sinus reconstruction material utilized. Clinical outcomes were favorable among patients receiving titanium mesh anterior table fixation during FFS. Titanium mesh can be considered as an additional technique for frontal bossing reduction and anterior table fixation in FFS.