Use of the Z-plasty technique in nasal skin cancers. Two clinical cases.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common type of cancer in Europe, Australia and the U.S.A. After nasal skin cancer excision, especially if it is less than 1-2 cm in diameter, several surgical techniques can be used to reconstruct the lack of substance.In the management of our two patients we have chosen to utilize, instead, a well-known plastic surgery technique, Z-plasty, which is both easy to perform that effective to achieve excellent cosmetic results. As shown by our two clinical cases, the use of Z-plasty for lack of substance of the nose tip and bridge can be extremely effective in terms of cosmetic results. In comparison with the other reconstructive techniques, in fact, it is very easy to perform and allows to avoid or minimize the distortion of the nasal tip and wing, to orient the incision along the skin tension lines and, finally, to replace the lack with very similar structures regarding color, thickness and tissue architecture to those removed.

[1]  T. Salopek,et al.  Trends in incidence of nonmelanoma skin cancers in Alberta, Canada, 1988–2007 , 2010, The British journal of dermatology.

[2]  J. Cook Reconstructive utility of the bilobed flap: lessons from flap successes and failures. , 2006, Dermatologic surgery : official publication for American Society for Dermatologic Surgery [et al.].

[3]  D. Roberts,et al.  Variations in registration of skin cancer in the United Kingdom , 2004, Clinical and experimental dermatology.

[4]  D. Papadopoulos,et al.  Superiorly based nasalis myocutaneous island pedicle flap with bilevel undermining for nasal tip and supratip reconstruction. , 1999, Dermatologic surgery : official publication for American Society for Dermatologic Surgery [et al.].

[5]  A. Ziegler,et al.  Relationship between sunlight exposure and a key genetic alteration in basal cell carcinoma. , 1996, Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

[6]  L. Dzubow,et al.  Conchal bowl skin grafting in nasal tip reconstruction: clinical and histologic evaluation. , 1995, Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

[7]  J. Aitken,et al.  What causes basal cell carcinoma to be the commonest cancer? , 2010, Australian journal of public health.

[8]  M A Weinstock,et al.  Nonmelanoma skin cancer in the United States: incidence. , 1994, Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

[9]  J. Zitelli Burow's grafts. , 1987, Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

[10]  T. W. Marsh,et al.  "Pinch modification" of the linear advancement flap. , 1987, The Journal of dermatologic surgery and oncology.