Reconstruction of the Nose

The nose is prone to various types of skin cancers, which include basal cell, squamous cell, and melanoma. The key to reconstructing the nose after cancer resection is to make sure the cancer has been completely removed prior to reconstructing the missing parts. If not, it is very difficult to eradicate and will likely recur and develop metastases.

The principles for reconstructing the nose are to understand the anatomy of the external, the supporting framework of bone and cartilage, and the internal nose. All of these layers and structures present unique and difficult challenges to reconstruct depending on the location. There are various surgical techniques that have been described for reconstruction, many of these techniques are complex, and perhaps even require free tissue transfer from other parts of the body. The goal is to leave you looking like you never had a procedure in your nose.