The nasolabial flap as a single-stage procedure

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Reconstructive Surgery
• Otolaryngology

Background:

• The nasolabial flap is a standard reconstructive method for nasal defects.
• Traditional nasolabial flap reconstruction often requires multiple stages.
• Addressing nasal defects necessitates efficient and effective surgical techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present an improved, single-stage nasolabial flap technique.
• To evaluate the efficacy of this modified technique in nasal defect repair.
• To reduce the number of surgical interventions required for reconstruction.

Main Methods:

• A modified nasolabial flap technique was applied to 32 patients.
• Key modifications included Burow's triangle excision, periosteal sutures, wide undermining, flap thinning, and size adjustment.
• The technique aimed to minimize tenting and recreate preincisional skin tension.

Main Results:

• All 32 patients were successfully treated with a single-stage procedure.
• No patients required a second-stage operation for trapdoor defects or fold/crease reconstruction.
• The modified technique effectively addressed nasal defects without secondary interventions.

Conclusions:

• The presented single-stage nasolabial flap technique is effective for nasal reconstruction.
• This improved method eliminates the need for secondary procedures in most cases.
• The technique offers a more efficient approach to repairing nasal defects.