Midface surgery from Tessier to distraction

The wall separating the face and the cranium was broken by Paul Tessier and Gérard Guiot in the 1960s, making it possible to perform a combined operation around the orbits and forehead, and opening up close cooperation between plastic surgeons and neurosurgeons, especially for treatment of the major malformations such as hypertelorism of major facial retrusions. The principles of mobilization of the orbits to correct teleorbitism or orbital dystopia are recalled with reference to the different variations and with clinical examples. Facial advancement to correct the retrusions created by faciocraniosynostosis is explained with the many possible variants, combined with a intracranial approach or not, with or without a bipartition. The indications are discussed as is the risk linked to combined advancement of face and forehead. The progressive bone elongation principle introduced by Ilizarov for the limbs has been applied to the face at the mandibular level by McCarthy, with great success. The distraction of bone structures is now also applied at the level of the midface and makes it possible to overcome the retraction of soft tissues and lower the risk of relapse of facial retrusion. Many technical problems have still to be solved, but the results are already very promising. Many other applications of the distraction principle will be developed for the midface level, with other technical improvements such as the use of absorbable mini-plates and screws.