A new glabellar flap modification for the reconstruction of medial canthal and nasal dorsal defects: "flap in flap" technique.

BACKGROUND

In considering periorbital reconstructive options, the goals of reconstruction are to obtain functional and esthetic results. At the medial canthus, reconstruction should maintain the normal concavity of the canthus without distortion of the surrounding tissues and should maintain normal eyebrow contour and symmetry. The authors represent their flap in flap technique that provides normal concavity of the canthus and does not cause any complex and undesirable scars.

METHODS

A new modification of conventional glabellar flap which was named "flap in flap technique" was raised to cover medial canthal defect. We designed an inverted V-shaped advancement flap (123Delta-A flap) that contains both B (145Delta flap) and C (2345) flaps. The B flap is designed in the glabellar region, which is at medial side of the defect and is transposed to defect, and the C flap is planned in V-Y fashion to release tension over the B flap.

RESULTS

To date, we have used this technique successfully in 5 patients (4 women and 1 man), requiring a glabellar flap to reconstruct the medial canthus and proximal nasal dorsum. All defects were secondary to excision of basal cell carcinoma. All were satisfied with the cosmetic and functional results.

CONCLUSIONS

Our glabellar flap in flap technique for the reconstruction of medial canthal defects has several advantages such as maintaining concavity of the canthus without distortion of the surrounding tissues and providing normal eyebrow contour and symmetry.