Reconstruction of chronic osteomyelitis of the nose using a thin latissimus dorsi perforator flap

Osteomyelitis is an acute or chronic inflammatory process that occurs in bone. Although cranial bones are rarely involved, timely diagnosis and early treatment are mandatory because of its proximity to critical neurovascular structures and aesthetic considerations.A 57-year-old woman, who had a comminuted open nasal bone fracture 20 years ago, presented a firm, painful swelling nose. Whole-body bone scan images indicated increased uptake of the nasal bone, which was suspected to be osteomyelitis. After debridement, the nose was reconstructed with a thin latissimus dorsi perforator flap.In this article, we report a rare case of chronic osteomyelitis of the nose and provide a brief review of the literature. It is important for clinicians to consider osteomyelitis for early diagnosis and treatment.