Skin grafted forehead flap for total nasal reconstruction in severe postburn facial deformity

Summary Total or subtotal nasal loss is one of the sequelae of severe facial burns and requires total nasal reconstruction. Distant flaps or tube pedicles were used but the result was not good in terms of skin color match and texture. Since 1982 the authors have used a skin grafted forehead flap for nasal reconstruction and have achieved a better color match for the new nose. This forehead flap is quite rigid and a bone graft is not needed for support. However, the flap is not as easily brought down to the nasal area as the standard forehead flap; thus, in the last five cases the supraorbital and the supratrochlear arteries on both sides had to be sacrificed. There was no compromise of the blood supply to the flap and the mechanism by which the flap retains its good blood supply remains to be elucidated.