Evidence Based Medicine in Facial Plastic Surgery

Emily A. Spataro, MD

Evidence-based medicine (EBM) is defined as the intersection between the current best evidence, patient values, and clinical expertise. Importantly, high-quality and adequately powered research studies with consistent outcome measures are essential to guide best practices. The major medical journals within facial plastic surgery have prioritized publishing the higher level of evidence research in the last two decades, with increasing numbers of level II studies published and a focus on objective outcomes or validated patient-reported outcomes measures. While these high evidence-level studies are still more prevalent among reconstructive as compared with aesthetic topics, it signifies a shift in research expectations that applies to the whole field. Also, central to EBM is the creation of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). CPGs create recommendations for best practices by synthesizing the best available evidence, with the strength of the recommendations based on the strength of the evidence, and highlight gaps in the literature that exists in these areas. While only a few CPGs exist in our field, including rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty, and reconstruction of skin cancers, this gap presents an opportunity for further development of CPGs in all areas of facial plastic surgery.

The goal of this issue on facial plastic surgery is to summarize the best available evidence and clinical practice guidelines and identify gaps in the literature on various topics within facial plastic surgery to guide evidence-based practices and highlight opportunities for further research in the field.

Publication History

Accepted Manuscript online:
31 January 2023

Article published online:
07 March 2023