title: A new approach to alar rim defects: mucocartilaginous turnover flap.
abstract: The main principle of reconstructive surgery is replacement of the defective tissues with like tissues. A full-thickness defect of the nasal ala should be reconstructed in three layers: innermost mucosal layer, outermost skin, and the cartilage in-between. The aim of this study is to describe a technique for single-stage, three-layer reconstruction of the full-thickness ala nasi defects. This technique was used on three patients with tumors involving the nasal ala. Resulting full-thickness defects are reconstructed with a mucocartilaginous turnover flap planned from the contralateral side. Aesthetically acceptable results are obtained without the compromise of the nasal airway and with minimal donor site morbidity. None of the patients requested a revision operation. In conclusion, this is a novel technique with minimal donor site morbidity and good postoperative results. Moreover, lost tissues are replaced with exactly the same kind of tissues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ramazan Erkin
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Unlü
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Orbay
authors.forename: Asu Deniz
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Ylmaz
authors.forename: Erdem
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aksoy
authors.forename: Muhammet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uraloğlu
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sensöz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000601:surgery; D002356:Cartilage / Q000637:transplantation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000637:transplantation*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000601:surgery; D009666:Nose / Q000601:surgery*; D009669:Nose Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012086:Reoperation; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D014945:Wound Healing