Nose reconstructed from the patient's tissue - a remarkable achievement in aesthetic surgery

In October 2018, Professor Dr. Ahčan, head of the University clinical department for plastic, reconstructive, aesthetic surgery  at the UKC Ljubljana and his colleague Vojko Didanovič, a maxillofacial and oral surgeon, carried out a demanding reconstruction of the nose, the first in the history of plastic surgery.

As a matter of fact, the patient's nose had to be amputated due to skin cancer, which caused a great deal of functional and aesthetic problems. This definitely represented a great challenge to Dr. Ahčan, a professor at the Faculty of Medicine in Ljubljana.

The nose is a very complex structure on the face,  thus its reconstruction after a complete amputation  requires multi-dimensional thinking. 

In order to shape a new nose, some old methods, known for more than 2,500 years , were combined together with reconstructive surgery and microsurgery techniques as well as new technological advanced 3D animations. 

The process of reconstruction was performed in two stages and two long-lasting surgeries.

The first phase included creating a 3D print , which was then  modelled on the patient's forearm until it became a nerve-rich part of the body.  A month later, the new nose, grown from bone and soft issue , was placed on the patient's face in an eight hour long surgery.

This demanding , successful and costly procedure is not only a a miracle for the patient, but it certainly represents  an outstanding achievement in the field of aesthetic surgery.

Dr. Ahčan and Dr. Didanovič were awarded »Apple of Inspiration« by President Borut Pahor for a poineering method of nose reconstruction.

They recently received another award  for their exceptional performance »The Person of the Year« given by Delo  at the ceremony to mark the newspaper's 60 th anniversary.

Photograph : Manuel Hahn