[Surgical treatment of partial defects of the nose]

During the last 15 years (1981-1995) 70 patients (38 male and 32 female) with partial defects of the nose were treated in the Department of Plastic Surgery of the Medical University of Lódź. In 26 cases there were posttraumatic defects and in 44 patients the defects were secondary to removal of a neoplasm. Patients were divided into two groups. In the first one there were patients with loss of the skin and subcutaneous tissue of a part of the nose; in the second group there were full-thickness defects of the alar base and/or alar rim and columella. Type of surgical reconstruction of the partial defects of the nose depends on location, size and deepness of the defect as well as on the patient's age. The goal of a surgeon who performs the reconstruction is to choose the most simple method with the lowest risk of complications and the method of the best possible esthetic and functional effect. The authors analyze the results of reconstruction of partial defects of the nose with the application of different methods. In 25 patients reconstruction was performed with the use of the pedicled nosolabial transposition flaps, while in other 17 cases composite grafts from auricle were made. Pedicled flaps from the forehead were used in 18 patients, tubed flaps in 3 and retroauricular flaps in 2 individuals. In one case replantation of the nose tissues was performed.