Atishkumar B. Gujrathi1, Vijayalaxmi Ambulgekar2
INTRODUCTION: Face represents complete personality of human being. Cosmetically it is very important part of a person especially for woman. There are many situations when due to disease or trauma, facial defect arises, which requires reconstruction by either local or distant surgical flaps.
METHODS AND MATERIALS: In rural places, we come across many patients suffering from trauma and skin malignancy of face. These patients require reconstruction done esthetically with local flaps. Objective of this study is to share our experience of providing esthetically good results at our secondary referral care center. Hereby, we present case series of 14 patients operated at our institute. These patients were analyzed according to the age, sex, nature of injury and anatomical location of lesion on the face. All these patients were operated and reconstruction of defect was done with various local flaps best suited for respective lesion, under local anesthesia or sedation. Post-operative nature of wound was analyzed for flap viability or flap necrosis.
RESULTS: Amongst them were 7 male and 7 female, ages ranging from 4 to 80 years. 7out of 14 patients were of basal cell carcinoma, 4 were due to trauma, 2 were due to dog bite and 1 case of recurrent pleomorphic adenoma at root of nose. All patients had excellent flap viability at end of 6 months and flap achieving almost similar color and contour as that of surrounding skin.
CONCLUSION: Reconstruction of facial defects by local flaps is very easy and cost effective technique. This can be done even at secondary referral care centre with minimal availability of facilities.
