Analysis of reconstructive methods in surgical treatment of nasal skin defects

Abstract

Background/Aim. Surgeons often face with the problem when selecting a reconstructive method for nasal skin defects. The aim of this study was to determine functional and aesthetic character-istics of different reconstructive methods used for skin defects in different regions of the nose. Methods. The study involved 44 patients with basocellular carcinoma in nasal area. The nasal skin was divided into four subunits: the tip, the alar lobules, the side-walls and the dorsum. The average skin defect size was 10 mm in diameter. Local flaps and full thickness skin grafts were used in the study. We analyzed the functional and esthetic results of dif-ferent reconstructive methods used for nasal defects in different regions of the nose 12 months after the surgery. Results. The study shows that different reconstructive methods produce dif-ferent functional and esthetic results in the same nasal subunits and that the same reconstructive method produces different re-sults in different nasal subunits. Conclusions. Estimation the postoperative functional and esthetic characteristics of different reconstructive methods is one of the basic preconditions of suc-cessful reconstruction.