Paramedian Forehead Flap in Large Nasal Skin Defects: Twenty-years' Experience

Skin cancers occur most commonly in the head and neck region where the nose is the most commonly affected unit. The nose is the part of the face that is most exposed to trauma, sunlight, and other environmental factors. From the aesthetic and functional point of view, reconstruction of the defects occurring after skin cancer removal creates a great challenge for the surgeon. In this retrospective study, we present the success rates achieved in the past 20 years with paramedian forehead flaps used for repairing large defects of the nose.

The study included 62 patients who underwent paramedian forehead flap due to nasal skin tumor [basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)] in Ege University Faculty of Medicine Otolaryngology Department between 2000 and 2020. Data on follow-up time, patients' age and gender, defect sizes, and tumor types were obtained retrospectively from patient files, histopathologic examination results and patient photographs. Additional diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and coronary artery disease that could affect flap success, were noted.

Out of 62 patients 29 (46.8%) were female and 33 (53.2%) were male. Their mean age was 61.4 (range: 46-88) years. Mean follow-up period was 125.6 (8-244) months. Of the 62 patients 33 (53.2%) were operated on for BCC and 29 (46.8%) for SCC. Four patients (6.5%) had recurrences during their follow-up. There was no loss of the paramedian forehead flap.

Paramedian forehead flap is a reliable option in the reconstruction of larger defects of the nose even in smokers and elderly patients who have comorbid diseases.