A good option for medial canthal region defects: Purse string closure

Abstract

Objective: Reconstruction of the defects in the medial canthal region are often challenging for the plastic surgeons because of the particular properties of the surrounding skin. Although there are several reconstructive options reported for this region, there is no single procedure that achieves the best result. In this paper we reported the use of the purse string closure method in medial canthal region defects. Material and Methods: Eight patients with lesions in the medial canthal region were operated in our clinic. All of the defects were closed with the purse string method. Sutures were removed after 3 weeks and patients were followed for 6 to 36 months (median:16.5 months). Results: All of the lesions were diagnosed as basal cell carcinomas. In the early postoperative period, 4 patients complained about skin tension and restriction of eyelid movements, one patient additionally had a minimal wound dehiscence. Eyelid movements and skin tension improved at the end of 1st week. The wound dehiscence healed after the 2nd week without any intervention. Rugae formation and skin distortion disappeared within 6 to 8 weeks. No tumor recurrences were observed. Conclusion: The convenience and the facility of the method to deal with complications offers a good choice for reconstruction of the defects in medial canthal region. © 2013 by Türkiye Klinikleri.