The Story Behind Dr. Sunde’s Blepharoplasty Grid

Have you ever heard of Sunde’s Blepharoplasty Grid? Probably not—unless you have performed eyelid surgery yourself.

This little piece of aluminum (in real life it measures about 5×7 inches) might not seem like much at a glance, but if you are having eyelid rejuvenation surgery, or blepharoplasty, it can actually help your surgeon get better results for you.

Keep reading to get the rest of the story ….

Back in the early 1990’s, Dr. Sunde was at Stanford University completing his plastic surgery training. Already an accomplished surgeon by this time, he saw potential to improve the way eyelid surgery was performed. He realized how much better surgeons could do this procedure if they had a simple, reliable way to measure their work as they went along.

After sharing his concerns with his peers over many cups of coffee, Dr. Sunde started to sketch out ideas for a device that would allow a plastic surgeon to accurately monitor the fat, skin and other tissue he or she removed as the procedure progressed. A short time later, he came up with the Sunde Blepharoplasty Grid.

As the name implies, this grid lays out all of the parts of the eyelid that a plastic surgeon might address during eyelid rejuvenation surgery. During a procedure, a surgeon places the tissue he or she removes into the corresponding area of the grid to precisely track changes to the skin, fat and muscle tissue as he or she works. Seeing exactly how much tissue is taken from each area of an eyelid helps a surgeon achieve greater symmetry and balance when improving the eyelid contour.

20 years later, the Sunde Blepharoplasty Grid is a staple in plastic surgery operating suites throughout the country. Dr. Sunde is proud to have contributed to the advancement of blepharoplasty in this way, and not only because it makes his job a little easier. More importantly, having the Sunde Blepharoplasty Grid means better results for his patients.

Fun Facts About the Grid

• It’s made of surgical aluminum so it can be sterilized before & after each procedure.
• Dr. Sunde added a hole in the bottom corner so the grid can be clamped securely in place.
• It’s small—the size of a birthday card & weight of a candy bar.
• Dr. Sunde gives grids away to his fellow board certified plastic surgeons.
• In return, he asks for something from their home town.

Want to see the grid in person? Contact our office for a consultation with Dr. Sunde to discuss any of the plastic surgery procedures he performs that interest you.