Chondro-Cutaneous Autograft for Reconstruction of the Nasal Ala After a Human Bite

Am J Case Rep. 2023 Apr 17:24:e939242. doi: 10.12659/AJCR.939242.

Abstract

BACKGROUND The nasal ala is a paired structural subunit of the nose that is functionally important in the maintenance of the nasal valve. It consists of 3 anatomically distinct layers: skin, cartilage, and mucosa, all of which need to be restored in reconstructive surgeries to maintain nasal patency. When multiple layers are involved in a defect, the reconstruction requires combining procedures to replace each layer. CASE REPORT We describe a peculiar case of a 58-year-old man with a full-thickness loss of substance of the right nasal ala due to a human bite. The patient came to our hospital after an altercation with another man who bit his nose off. He was initially seen at a smaller regional hospital that did not have a plastic surgery department and was soon after transferred to our facility due to the complexity of the case. To reduce the risk of infection, the patient was treated with a complete course of intravenous antibiotic therapy and the wound was medicated daily with antiseptic solutions. The loss of substance was reconstructed with a composed graft from the auricle concha and the melolabial flap. CONCLUSIONS Defects of the nasal ala are challenging to reconstruct, given its complex 3-dimensional structure. The successful repair of these defects provides aesthetic symmetry and preserves nasal function. A wide variety of reconstructive options have been utilized in many nasal reconstruction cases and have been documented. The combination of a chondro-cutaneous graft from the auricular concha and a melolabial flap graft allowed a good result without local or systemic complications.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Autografts / surgery
  • Bites, Human* / surgery
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nose
  • Rhinoplasty* / methods
  • Surgical Flaps