Using Bilobed Flap Surgery to Reconstruct the Contour of Nose Following Skin Cancer

At Clarus Dermatology, we understand that the diagnosis of skin cancer is an incredibly distressing experience for our patients. When the carcinoma is on a prominent area, such as the nose, it adds to the stress that the patient already feels – uncertain of what the scars from the surgery will do to their appearance.

The images above are from a patient of ours that had skin cancer on her nose. Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Neil Shah performed Mohs surgery to clear the carcinoma on the nose (seen in image I.). Dr. Shah then performed a bilobed flap surgery to repair the mid-sized off-center distal nasal defect left behind after the carcinoma was cleared. After the bilobed flap, the normal contour of the nose was reconstructed (seen in image II.).

Two-weeks following the surgeries, the sutures were removed and mild “pincushioning” occurred, which is completely normal (seen in image III.). Just three months following the surgeries, the “pincushioning” on the skin has healed, the scar lines are barely visible (image IV.), and the nose has returned to a normal look.