Skin tumors in facial plastic surgery

As the incidence of facial skin tumors is rising, otorhinolaryngologists are becoming more and more involved in the field of facial plastic surgery. The most common tumor locations on the head are the sun-exposed areas such as the nose, forehead, cheek, and auricle. The most common histologic findings are actinic keratosis and basal cell carcinoma. In planning tumor resection and defect repair, many factors, including histology, size, and localization of the tumor as well as conditions of the adjacent skin, must be considered. The key to defect repair after tumor resection is to choose the most appropriate technique from a range of possibilities. Because of skin laxity, most small and midsize facial defects can be closed directly or with high-tension sutures under skin expansion. More extensive defects and those located in critical areas require pedicled flaps or free grafts transferring skin from adjacent or distant areas. In patients with recurrent or deeply infiltrative tumors, reconstructive procedures of the facial nerve, parotid duct, and lacrimal duct might be needed. This is also true for reconstruction of the anatomic framework of the eyelids, the nose, and the pinna.