The Full-thickness Forehead Skin Graft for a Nasal Ala Defect

Lee, Hyungrae; Kim, Mi Sun; Lee, June Hyunkyung; Park, Kun; Son, Sook Ja

Abstract

Skin cancers require excision and reconstruction for achieving optimal functional and cosmetic results. There are numerous reconstructive options, which include primary repair, secondary intention healing, a local flap and a skin graft. Generally, a full-thickness skin graft is not considered applicable for reconstructing a nasal defect because a local flap is thought to be a superior alternative to a skin graft due to the unique nature of the lower third of the skin, which is often thick and fixed to the adjacent structures. But a defect on a lower third of the nose that includes the nasal ala can be well reconstructed by a skin graft in some cases. The donor site options include the preauricular, postauricular and supraclavicular areas etc. But in some cases, the forehead skin is a good match with the nasal ala area. We herein report the case of a 69-year-old female with a nasal ala defect that was induced by excision of basal cell carcinoma. The patient was reconstructed with a full-thickness skin graft using the redundant skin of the forehead.