Nasal deformities and their treatments in the leprosy patients (I) / 나학회지

ABSTRACT

Lepra bacilli invade the nasal mucosa from early stage. The infiltrated mucous membrane breaks down and ulcerates easily. Irritating crusts and ulcers occur, creating in perforation of the septum. When most of the septum and inner mucosal lining of the nose is destroyed, the nose is deprived of its support and it collapses. The nasal bones are typically intact, and the collapsed nose adheres to the facial skeleton, giving the characteristic 'sunken and short nose' deformities. We have operated on 25 patients with deformities such as short nose, sunken nose, collumela deformity and ala collapse since 1992. In short nose we operated with a paramedian forehead flap and rib cartilage graft in a cantilever pattern. In ala collapse we used a conchal cartilage graft. Lastly, in collumela deformity we used the local flap and a composite graft.