Single-staged Tunneled Forehead Flap for Medial Canthal and Eyelid Reconstruction

PURPOSE: The paramedian forehead flap, while initially used for reconstruction of nasal defects, has been adapted for repair of anatomical subunits in the medial canthal and eyelid area. A significant obstacle for utilizing the flap has been the bulky, unsightly vascular pedicle that is maintained between surgical stages. We describe our surgical experience using the tunneled variation in a single stage procedure. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed of three surgeons’ charts over a 5-year period. All patients who underwent the tunneled paramedian forehead flap variation were selected. Outcomes measured included underlying pathology, Mohs defect area and depth, and canalicular involvement. RESULTS: A total of 20 tunneled flaps were performed after successful Mohs excision of cutaneous malignancies. The average Mohs defect surface area was 13.57 cm(2) with depth down to periosteum (n = 13), bone (n = 5), or orbital fat (n = 2). Five patients had full-thickness eyelid defects (25%), and nine (45%) had canalicular defects. The overall complication rate for this study was low with no flap failure. Two patients (10%) desired thinning of the subcutaneous flap for improved cosmesis, and one patient (5%) required further eyelid revision due to the complexity of the initial Mohs defect. The remaining 17 patients required no further surgical procedures. CONCLUSION: The tunneled paramedian forehead flap is a useful technique for medial canthal and eyelid reconstruction. This technique allows reconstruction of a challenging area. Complication rates are low, and this tunneled variation provides a single stage variation to the traditional multistage forehead pedicle flap.