Repair of full-thickness alar defects.
BACKGROUND
A basal cell carcinoma can invade the cartilage in the nasal ala and can reach the nasal vestibule skin. A full-thickness reconstruction of the nasal ala is required to repair the tissue damage after tumor removal. We combined an auricular composite graft with a nasolabial flap to repair the defects in the nasal ala.


METHODS
Eleven patients with full-thickness infiltration of the nasal ala by basal cell carcinoma were included in the study. The outer defect area after tumor removal ranged from 1.5 × 2.0 to 2.0 × 2.5 cm(2). Skin-cartilage composite grafts 1.5 × 1.5 to 1.5 × 2.0 cm(2) in size were harvested from the helix at the top of the ear. The composite graft was used as a support scaffold to reconstruct the defects. A nasolabial flap was used to cover the cartilage.


RESULTS
All cases were treated successfully. No flap necrosis, skin color changes, or blistering occurred. The shape of the flap was stable, and the skin color was consistent with that of the surrounding tissue. The reconstructed nasal ala was symmetrical.


CONCLUSIONS
Combining an auricular composite graft with a nasolabial flap can repair defects up to 2.0 × 2.5 cm(2) in size. The reconstructed nasal ala matches the original skin color and maintains the appropriate shape.
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck, Affiliated Second Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China. caiq163@126.com
Cai
C
Qian
Xu
X
Yaodong
Huang
H
Xiaoming
Fan
F
Shaochong
Zheng
Z
Yiqing
D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D054644:Ear Auricle / Q000637:transplantation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009666:Nose / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D012225:Rhinoplasty / Q000379:methods*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013524:Surgical Flaps