A novel approach for the reconstruction of medial canthal and nasal dorsal defects: frontal hairline island flap

Abstract

Medial canthal and dorsal nasal defects after surgery have been a challenging problem for surgeons and patients. The main purpose in reconstruction is not solely covering the defects with similar skin and soft tissue, but also causing minimal donor-area morbidity. The authors described an elliptical fashioned frontal island flap at the level of the frontal hairline, nourished by the vascular network composed of supraorbital and supratrochlear arteries, then carried subcutaneously to the defect area at medial canthus and upper nose. Any extra incisions above the eyebrow to control the pedicles were not necessary. Donor region was closed primarily; thus, scarring was hidden at the hairline. We present our frontal hairline island flap design and results in our series of 10 patients.In our study, we aimed to reduce scarring at donor area by planning a forehead island flap in an elliptical fashion at the frontal hairline. There are no more incisions than the elliptical incision over the hairline. Primary closure of skin flaps at the donor ensures a final scar that is hidden at the frontal hairline border. Forehead hairline island flap is an important flap for small- and medium-size defects as an alternative to conventional paramedian forehead flap.