Results of local flaps of the face for reconstruction after wide local excision in facial basal cell carcinoma

Abstract

Background: Basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) are the most common skin cancers of the face. Surgical treatment must ensure safe surgical margins and effects in functional and cosmetic aspects. Therefore, the selection of surgical excision and postoperative reconstruction methods remains a challenge in treatment. Methods: We conducted a prospective descriptive clinical intervention study with 34 patients with basal cell carcinoma of the face (35 lesions) who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria of local flaps of the face for reconstruction after wide local excision in facial basal cell carcinoma at Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital from January 2017 to April 2021. Results: The most common sites of tumor were nose and cheek (68.5%); with clinical features mostly non-healing ulcers (54.3%). The safe surgical margins were 2-10mm in 94.3% of cases. The functional outcome was 100% satisfactory and the aesthetic result was good in 91.4% of patients, with a low complication rate (5.7%) and no recurrence, metastasis was recorded after 19.5 months of follow-up. Conclusions: 2 to 10 mm margins of wide local excision and reconstruction by local flap ensures safety and aesthetics in the surgical treatment of facial basal cell carcinomas Key words: skin cancer, basal cell carcinomas, facial area, wide local excision, local flap