Izogenic cartilage transfer in rhinoplasty procedure.

Cartilage is commonly grafted during primary and secondary rhinoplasties as a means of addressing both functional and esthetic issues. Generally, such grafts are taken from the nasal septum, but auricular conchae or ribs may serve as donor sites if needed. However, the latter often entail considerable morbidity and graft mismatch. To circumvent these drawbacks, use of implants or processed cartilage (allogenic or xenogenic in origin) has been proposed. Herein, the isogenic transfer of nasal septal cartilage between identical twins is reported.

Reconstruction of intraoral defects with superior labial artery musculo-mucosal flap: a preliminary clinical study.

OBJECTIVES: In this article, we present the use of the superior labial artery musculo-mucosal (SLAMM) flap for intraoral reconstruction. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included five patients (2 females, 3 males; mean age 36 years; range 11 to 56 years) who consulted at our clinic between October 2008 and January 2010. Five oral defects were reconstructed with the SLAMM flap. Three patients underwent reconstruction with SLAMM flap following oncologic resection. The other two patients had traumatic defects in the oral cavity which necessitated flap application. First, the distal end of the flap was incised and the superior labial artery was identified after dissection. After ligation of the artery, the mucosa, submucosa and the cuff of orbicularis oris muscle were elevated. The dissection was extended laterally and anteriorly, depending on the necessary flap size. RESULTS: None of the patients had partial or total flap necrosis. During the follow-up period, contracture developed in only one patient. Successful reconstruction was observed in all patients. CONCLUSION: The superior labial artery musculo-mucosal flap is a simple and feasible technique which can be used for reconstruction of intraoral defects.