Reconstruction of facial soft tissues after resection of skin tumors

The aim of the present study was to analyse the results of various reconstruction techniques of the facial skin with regard to general parameters such as the patients' age and health condition and to surgical parameters such as defect size, contamination of surgical fields and the type of reconstruction. 273 cases were evaluated, comprising local flaps (217), island flaps (21), free skin grafts (22) and cutaneous or myocutaneous distant flaps (13). The overall rate of major complications was 13.5%. No correlation was found with the age or impaired health of the patients nor did contamination by oral/nasal bacterial flora or the type of restoration show any significant correlation. The size of the defect turned out to be the only variable significantly related to the occurrence of complications (p = 0.0108). The complication rate observed following the repair of defects smaller than 30 mm in diameter was 7.5% while it rated 19.1% following the repair of defects larger than 30 mm. The overall rate of partial or total flap necrosis was low (2.9%). Secondary corrections and further surgical re-entry were required in 4.7% of all patients.