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Case Competition Overview

Case Competition 2023 Case 6 Nasal reconstruction with bilateral nasolabial flaps

Authors: Julie Husted Andersen, Resident, Roskilde Hospital, Denmark

75 year old woman with a history of basal cell carcinoma (nBCC) located to the apex of the nose. The first biopsy was made in 2014. Since then the patient suffered a relapse and in september 2022 the excision was made with a surgical margin of 5 mm. The defect was left open until final histology. Histology showed that the tumor was radically excised and now ready for planning of a facial flap.

Before and after

Patient examination

The skin examination showed sign of a tumor located to the apex of the nose. The tumor was clinically difficult to define with the naked eye. The measure was 12 x 15 mm and the tumor thickness was estimated to be 2 mm. The was no wound and no signs of infection.

Pre-Operative Considerations

The surgery was originally planned for excision and use of per-operative freezing histology with reconstruction of a random facial flap. Due to the difficulty defining the borders of the tumor it was decided not to use the per-operative freezing histology. Instead it was decided to leave the defect open until final histology. Reconstruction with a random flap were discussed for the 2-step-procedure. It was assessed that a bilateral nasolabial flap could cover the defect on the apex of the nose or alternatively a nasofrontal flap. The patient was included in the decision and did not wish for reconstruction with the nasofrontal flap as she was not happy with her forehead.

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Step 1: Drawing

The tumor was marked and a surgical margin of 5 mm was drawn.

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Step 2: Excision

The tumor was excised in 5 mm margin including subdermal slim tissues and marked a 12 o clock for the histologic assessment. The defect was left open and histology showed that the tumor was radically excised.

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Step 3: Flap drawing

Drawing for the bilateral nasolabial flaps.

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Step 4: Closing

Closing of the defect and donor sites.

Post-Operative Plan

The patient was not happy with the cosmetic result of her nose. The flaps are very thick leaving her nose with a wide expression. The profile of the nose was quite good. The patient is now in pre-operative planning for surgical thinning of the flap.

Pearls

  • Useful for covering wide defects of the apex of the nose and an alternative to a nasofrontal approach.

Pitfalls

  • The end result of a bilateral nasolabial flap is a “bulky” nose.

Procedure and cases

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Case 1

Left Cheek reconstruction with VY- and transposition flap

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Case 2

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Case 3

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Case 4

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Case 5

Giant Panniculectomy in schizophrenic patient

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Case 7

Reconstruction with double rotation flap on scalp

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Case 8

Removal of an axillary lymphnode

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Case 9

Malignant Phyllodes Tumor of the Breast

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Case 10

1st dorsal intermetacarpal artery flap (Foucher flap)

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Case 11

Paramedian forehead flap for nasal soft tissue reconstruction


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