The figure-of-eight radix nasi flap for medial canthal defects

Summary 

Basal cell carcinomas commonly involve the medial canthal region and reconstruction of medial canthal defects is a challenging problem in reconstructive surgery. A new axial pattern flap raised from radix nasi region has been succesfully used for the medial canthal defects in eight patients in figure-of-eight manner. One of the ellipses of the figure of eight is the defect, the other is the radix nasi flap. The radix nasi flap with a dimension up to 25mm is transposed to the defect based either on ipsilateral anastomosis of the dorsal nasal artery with angular artery (AA) or with the connection of its source artery (i.e. ophthalmic artery) if the AA is damaged. All flaps survived and no tumour recurrence was observed. The donor sites were closed primarily and hidden at the radix nasi crease in all cases. The radix nasi flap in figure-of-eight fashion is good alternative for defects of the medial canthal area in terms of attaining a suitable colour and texture and minimal surgical scars.

Keywords: radix nasi flap, dorsal nasal artery, medial canthal defect