Introduction
The nose is a typical subsite of head and neck skin cancers, being the
squamous cell carcinoma one of the most common histological subtypes1,2,3 .This type of tumor shows a locally aggressive
growth and tends to invade cartilage and deeper structures requiring a
subtotal or total rhinectomy when they are larger than 1 cm1,2. Compared to primary radiation approaches and to
subtotal rhinectomy with skin flap reconstruction, which can lead to a
malignant lesion recurrence after 3 years post intervention, total
rhinectomy with prosthesis placement has shown excellent outcomes and
better tumor growth control rates, as well as a decrease in mortality
rates 1,2.3.
Although total rhinectomy leads to excellent tumor control, it alters
the patient’s appearance and disturbs facial harmony. On one hand most
of these patients require radiotherapy which can affect the quality of
the bone and tissue. In these cases it is difficult to reconstruct the
nose aesthetically and functionally with skin flaps 1.
For this reason, an excellent alternative is a nasal prosthesis which is
safe and implies better oncological control and limits tumor
recurrences. This device also mimics the original appearance and
function of the nose prior to surgery, thereby improving the patient’s
quality of life 2.
The main objective of this manuscript is to present a case of a patient
with moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma of the nose, who
underwent total rhinectomy and posterior reconstruction with nasal self-
retained prosthesis.