Versatility of the O-Z flap for back reconstruction after giant basal cell carcinoma resection: A case report and review of the literature

Highlights • Giant basal cell carcinomas are rare and potentially aggressive tumors. • Aggressive surgical resection with suggested wide free margins is suggested. • Soft tissue reconstruction for back lesions may be challenging. • The O-Z flap represents a safe and reliable alternative for back reconstruction.
Introduction Giant basal cell carcinomas are rare and potentially aggressive skin malignancies that are infrequently reported in the Literature, and they usually require aggressive surgical resection and immediate soft tissue reconstruction with skin grafts or flaps. The large size of GBCCs has relevant implications not only for the metastatic potential, but even for the reconstructive challenging due to the possible limited availability of tissues for flap coverage. Presentation of case We report the peculiar case of an old patient who underwent to GBCC resection of the back measuring 16 × 13 cm, and immediate reconstruction with a large O to Z flap harvested from the back; one-year follow-up examination revealed a satisfactory result and no recurrence of the disease was observed. Discussion The review of the Literature showed that reconstructive options are mainly determined by the site and extent of the defect, exposed structures and patient characteristics and comorbidities, and previous series reported the use of skin grafts only, pedicled myocutaneous or perforator flaps, exclusively free flaps and a combination of techniques. Therefore, in this scenario local flaps such as O-Z flaps are less invasive procedures, that usually have lower rate of postoperative complications and shorter hospitalization compared to more complex procedures. Conclusions Despite the use of O-Z flap is quite unusual for back reconstruction, we believe that this flap represents a valid and safe alternative in selected cases, particularly in the elderly and medically compromised patients with multiple comorbidities.