REPAIR OF SURGICAL DEFECTS OF THE NASAL PYRAMID

The nose is an area commonly involved in dermatological surgery. Basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma frequently affect the nasal appendix and its adjacent structures. There is a broad repertoire of surgical techniques for the reconstruction of this area, including direct closure, local and distant flaps, and grafts. Small surgical defects may be repaired by direct closure or second intention healing but local flaps and skin grafts from appropriate donor sites are frequently required after excision of tumors. Flaps have substantial advantages over grafts because they have their own blood supply and their viability does not depend entirely on the vascular bed of the surgical defect. Flaps offer similar skin in terms of color, texture and photoaging. Local flaps are essentially classified in several types: advancement, rotation and transposition. In this review we mention and graphically illustrate the reconstruction procedures from our own experience.