The Axial Frontonasal Flap for Nasal Tip Defect: A Single Centre Experience.

Badi F Aldosari

doi:10.7759/cureus.5892

Abstract

ObjectivesSkin defects of the nose can be a surgical challenge for facial plastic surgeons. Often, invasive surgery of the nose is accompanied by aesthetic issues for the patient. Hence, following invasive surgery of the nose, a reconstructive procedure should be performed to correct the morphological and aesthetic issues. This can help to restore the aesthetic features of the nose. Of the several reconstructive procedures available for nasal tip defects, the axial frontonasal flap is regarded as a good option for nasal tip reconstruction. Herein, we describe our experience with the axial frontonasal flap for the reconstruction of nasal tip defect in 15 patients. We also would specify the indications for the use of this flap and describe in detail the surgical technique.Materials and MethodsThis was a retrospective study of 15 patients who underwent reconstruction of nasal tip defect with an axial frontonasal flap between 2012 and 2015. In all the patients, the defects were located on the nasal tip. The measurement of the nasal tip defect in all the cases was ≥ 1.4 cm in their shortest diameter. The patients were followed up to 12 months after surgery.ResultsThe axial frontonasal flaps for all the patients survived completely without any complications. In all patients, the follow-up surgical result was rated as good or excellent by the patients and surgeons.ConclusionsBased on the results of our review of cases, we highly recommend the axial frontonasal flap as an option for the reconstruction of nasal tip defects measuring ≥ 1.4 cm in diameter.

Highlights

Reconstruction of skin defects of the nasal tip can be a challenging task for facial plastic surgeons, as the nasal tip is a prominent facial landmark
This was a retrospective study of 15 patients who underwent reconstruction of nasal tip defect with an axial frontonasal flap between 2012 and 2015
We describe our experience with the use of an axial frontonasal flap for the reconstruction of a nasal tip defect

Summary

Introduction

Reconstruction of skin defects of the nasal tip can be a challenging task for facial plastic surgeons, as the nasal tip is a prominent facial landmark. As the irregularities in skin color, texture, thickness, and contour are very visible, the reconstruction could be more difficult. Invasive surgery of the nose should be followed by a reconstructive procedure that should attempt to correct the morphological and aesthetic features as much as possible [1]. Aesthetic units are crucial when reconstructing nasal tip defects. It is essential to obtain skin samples that match the local tissues with respect to color and texture. The adjacent skin tissue is preferred, as it bears the same color and texture as the nasal tip [2]

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Conclusion