Conchal bowl skin grafting in nasal tip reconstruction: clinical and histologic evaluation.

BACKGROUND: It is often difficult to achieve an esthetically pleasing cosmetic match when full-thickness skin grafts from periclavicular, preauricular, or postauricular donor sites are used to repair distal nasal defects. This, in large part, is due to the highly sebaceous nature of the skin on the distal aspect of the nose.

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to describe the benefits of using donor skin from the conchal bowl to repair defects of the nasal tip.

METHODS: The technique of conchal bowl grafting is described.

RESULTS: The conchal grafts give an excellent cosmetic result with respect to color and texture match and are time efficient because the donor site can be allowed to heal by secondary intention.

CONCLUSION: The conchal bowl offers an esthetically reliable source of donor skin for full-thickness and perichondrial cutaneous grafts to repair defects of the nasal tip.