Reconstruction of the Nose with Local Flaps / 대한피부과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Reconstructive procedures are required to repair the defects following removal of the malignant tumors on the nose. Local flaps of the nose require careful preoperative planning and meticulous surgical technique because of unique anatomic features and cosmetically central location in the face. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the preferred local flap modalities used to reconstruct the defects occurred after removing skin tumors on the nose. METHOD: From January 1995 to June 2001, thirty-nine patients reconstructed with local flaps to repair surgical defects of the nose following excision for the treatment of malignant skin tumors were included in this study. RESULTS: It was clear that the choice of flap is depended on the location of the defect. Defects on the upper two thirds were repaired differently than were defects on the lower one third. Of the thirty-nine patients, twenty-three patients had a tumor on the upper two thirds of the nose and sixteen patients had a tumor on the lower one third of the nose. Used local flap modalities were as follows. Upper two thirds of the nose - transposition flap(56.5%), rotation flap(26.1%), advancement flap(8.7%), subcutaneous island pedicle flap(4.35%) and combining flap(4.35%). Lower one third of the nose - transposition flap(81.25%), rotation flap(12.5%) and subcutaneous island pedicle flap(6.25%). CONCLUSION: Transposition flaps including rhombic and nasolabial flaps were the most useful of all flaps for each subunit.