title: The inferior turbinate flap in skull base reconstruction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As the indications for expanded endonasal approaches continue to evolve, alternative reconstructive techniques are needed to address increasingly complex surgical skull base defects. In the absence of the nasoseptal flap, we describe our experience with the posterior pedicle inferior turbinate flap (PPITF) in skull base reconstruction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  Academic tertiary care centre.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients who underwent reconstruction of the skull base with the PPITF were identified. Medical records were reviewed for demographic, presentation, treatment, follow-up, surgical and outcomes data.
  
  
  METHODS
  Flap survival, adequacy of seal, and complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two patients with residual/recurrent pituitary adenomas met the inclusion criteria. The nasoseptal flap was unavailable in each case due to a prior septectomy. Salvage of the original nasoseptal flap was not possible, as it did not provide adequate coverage of the resultant defect due to contraction from healing. All PPITFs healed uneventfully and covered the entire defect. No complications were observed in the early post-operative period. Endoscopic techniques and limitations of the PPITF are also discussed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our clinical experience supports the PPITF to be a viable alternative for reconstruction of the skull base in the absence of the nasoseptal flap.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. avescan@mtsinai.on.ca.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yip
authors.forename: Kristian I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Macdonald
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ian J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Witterick
authors.forename: Gelareh
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zadeh
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gentili
authors.forename: Allan D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Vescan
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019291:Skull Base / Q000601:surgery*; D013524:Surgical Flaps