Prosthetic Rehabilitation after Rhinectomy for Squamous cell carcinoma of nasal alae

Abstract

Reconstruction of head and neck defects
following mutilating cancer surgeries is
an aesthetic challenge and can be accomplished
either surgically or prosthetically.
The methods of reconstruction are
individualized based on the site, size, etiology,
severity, age, and most importantly
the patients desire. Surgical reconstruction
techniques with micro vascular
surgery using free flaps( 13-15) may be
considered as treatment of choice. However,
radiation therapy, anatomic complexity,
possibility of recurrence, appearance
of the area to be rehabilitated, and
complexity of the surgical procedure may
exclude surgical reconstruction as an option
in a patient undergoing total rhinectomy.
This case report describes the
prosthetic rehabilitation of a young lady
with albinism who underwent total rhinectomy
for recurrent carcinoma of skin involving
the nasal alae. Judicious use of
this method of rehabilitation would go in
a long way in socially integrating the cancer
patients who
have undergone mutilating surgeries as a
part of the multimodality management.