[Total reconstruction of the nose by osteocutaneous preformed forearm flap. Apropos of a case]

The authors report the case of a 28-year-old woman in whom multiple surgical reconstructions were performed to cure an extensive radiation necrosis of the nose. In 1980, after the failure of a dorsalis pedis free flap and of a free groin flap, success was obtained with a free lateral mammary flap. But defatting, bone grafting and modelling produced partial necrosis of the flap. Finally, total nasal reconstruction was achieved in 1983 with a pedicled osteocutaneous forearm flap. To secure the transfer, the flap was first modelled by folding directly on the donor site. The advantages of this procedure are a lower risk of postoperative infection and a fewer number of secondary surgical stages needed to achieve the reconstruction. The reliability of the forearm flap and the simplicity of the procedure advocate its use in difficult reconstructions of the nose, when others techniques could not give better results.