Head and Neck Tumors

Bilateral Superior Labial Mucosal Transposition Flaps to Correct Stenosis of the Nares Following Bilateral Rostral Maxillectomy Combined with Nasal Planum Resection in a Dog

“…This may create better skin to mucosa apposition . It is believed that suturing the skin to nasal mucosa minimizes the risk of nasal stenosis . Two other reconstructive techniques have been described.…”

“…The dog's quality of life greatly improved after the final revision and it was able to breathe through its nasal passages, sleep normally and have a normal level of activity. Sneezing after nasal planum resection is reported as a complication but epistaxis is not reported . The episodes of epistaxis were always associated with sneezing in this dog and was considered a complication of planum resection rather than the corrective surgery per se, perhaps exacerbated by the dry climate of Colorado.…”

“…Stenosis of the nares is an infrequent but compromising complication of nasal planum resection . The dog of this report had substantial difficulty in breathing through its nasal passages after nasal planum resection and rostral maxillectomy.…”

“…The purse‐string must not be pulled too tight or the skin may heal across the nasal aperture. Alternatively and preferably, simple interrupted sutures of 4‐0 or 5‐0 suture material can be used to appose the skin and nasal mucosa . Use of a rolling figure‐of‐eight suture passed through a hole drilled in the maxilla is also described, allowing the skin to roll around and cover the cut edge of the bone.…”

“…Nasal planum resection alone or combined with incisivectomy or bilateral rostral maxillectomy is used to remove neoplasms of the nasal planum or those affecting both nasal planum and incisive bone, respectively . The most compromising postoperative complication is stenosis of the nasal aperture . This report describes one‐stage, transposition of superior labial mucosal flaps to correct stenosis of the nares in a dog that had previous bilateral rostral maxillectomy and nasal planum resection.…”