Asymmetric Z-plasty for correction of iatrogenic nostril "Q" deformities in Asian patients.

Technique: Nostril "Q" deformity is a common postoperative deformity in nasal alar reduction surgery, and there are no clinical reports on its correction. Based on the traditional Z-plasty technique, we designed an asymmetric Z-plasty technique to transfer the triangular mucosal flap inside the nasal cavity to the zone of notch deformity to correct the Q deformity.

Results: We included 12 patients in recent years in this study. The patient cohort included 9 females and 3 males, with a mean age of 29 years. The average surgical time for nostril correction was 40 min. The wound healed and sutures were removed normally in all patients 7 days after surgery. The postoperative results were satisfactory and there was no need for a second stage of surgery to correct the nostril morphology. During more than 12 months postoperative follow-up, the patient had good aesthetic results with no recurrence. All patients reported being satisfied with the clinical results.

Conclusions: This asymmetric Z-plasty technique, which is a modification of traditional methods, can be used as an effective repair method for iatrogenic nostril "Q" malformation in Asians.