Inferiorly Based Crescentic “Sliding” Cheek Flaps for the Reconstruction of Paranasal Surgical Defects

Doctors involved in the surgical management of skin cancer frequently encounter the repair of paranasal surgical defects. Similar to other reconstructions, these defects present surgeons with a variety of options, depending on the site, size, depth, and available tissue laxity. In the paranasal region, mobilizing the cheek skin reservoir for flap repairs allows the reconstructive surgeon to optimize tissue match and often to conceal resultant scar lines at the junction of cosmetic units or within naturally occurring rhytides. Another important consideration in this region is to avoid distortion of free margins such as the lower eyelid, ala, and upper lip caused by flap movement.