Columellar reconstruction: a refinement of technique

Abstract

The nose is an important landmark of the face and its shape and beauty is of significant concern. The columella is the subunit between the two nostrils that provides support and projection to the nasal tip and has functional role in nostrils, as well as aesthetic. Ethiology for columellar absence or deficiency is diverse, and it is one of the most complex nasal subunits to reconstruct because of its narrow horizontal dimension, its tenuous vascularity and limited availability of adjacent tissue. We present a patient with columellar, membranous septum and upper lip defect, due to oncological resection. The lip reconstruction was designed using advancement of two upper lip edges with the technique of webster perialar/nasocheek advancement. However, the perialar/nasocheek tissue which is usually discarded was used as inferiorly based skin flaps to reconstruct the membranous septum, columellar skin and nasal vestibule lining. Rib cage cartilage graft was used as columellar strut for support. At 1-year followup, the patient has good nasal contour and projection. Scaring of the columella is very subtle. This is a versatile way for successful reconstruction of a columella and large central facial defect in one-stage operation. It is a method which provides very satisfactory aesthetic result with minimum patient morbidity and discomfort.

Keywords: Columella reconstruction; Columella resection; Nose reconstruction.

Fig. 1.

Squamous cell carcinoma of columella.

Fig. 2.

Defect of columellar, membranous septum and upper lip.

Fig. 3.

Planning of inferiorly based sail-shaped flaps.

Fig. 4.

Sail-shaped flaps brought to reconstruct nasal septum and columella.

Fig. 5.

Postoperative basal view.

Fig. 6.

Postoperative lateral view.

Fig. 7.

One-year postoperative basal view.

Fig. 8.

One-year postoperative lateral view.