What Lies Beneath: Carotid Artery Depth and the Safe Use of Hemostatic Nets in Facelift Surgery

A thorough understanding of the vascular structures in post-rhytidectomy neck underlies safe placement of the hemostatic net. Assuming the use of ⅜ circle suture needle, a 24mm needle (19mm chord length) offers greater inherent margin relative to the mean vessel depth at C4 (20.5mm). However, with a 32mm needle (25mm chord length), safe use depends on controlled bite depth and surgical technique (more oblique needle entry) to maintain a safe margin from carotid vessels.