Abstract
Recent technological advancements in the field of portable electronics have facilitated
the use of videography as a form of visual documentation in facial plastic surgery.
Currently, the degree of video adoption and perceptions relating to its use in plastic
surgery are not known. This study aimed to evaluate the current use, perceptions,
and barriers regarding the adoption of video in the clinical practice of facial plastic
surgery. A cross-sectional study of all American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive
Surgery members was conducted through an e-mail-disseminated 24-item online survey.
A total of 164 surgeons responded to the survey. Nearly all surgeons reported routinely
employing photography for the documentation and marketing of surgical results. Fewer
than 25% of respondents acknowledged using video to document surgical outcomes. Younger
surgeons (<10 years in practice) and those in academic practices were significantly
more likely to adopt videography (32 vs. 17%, p = 0.042 and 38 vs. 18%, p = 0.027, respectively). Most surgeons regarded video as the superior visual documentation
format for dynamic facial expression and as being more difficult to deceptively manipulate.
Most frequently cited barriers to adoption included time-consuming capture, file editing/storage
requirements, and lack of clear standards. Videography holds favorable potential as
the future format of visual documentation in facial plastic surgery due to its ability
to capture the full range of dynamic facial expression. Establishing standards and
setup guidelines for video capture will be essential in increasing its adoption.
Keywords
videography in plastic surgery - barriers to video adoption - visual documentation
