Patient Satisfaction Following Primary Closure or Second Intention Healing After Conventional Nasal Skin Cancer Excision: A Cross-sectional Cohort Study

BACKGROUND: Nasal reconstruction after conventional surgical excision (CSE) of nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) can be challenging. After excision and before the pathologic report, a simple reconstruction is favored. Yet, little is known about patient satisfaction after primary closure and second intention healing. OBJECTIVE: Patient satisfaction after nasal defect reconstruction with primary closure or second intention healing, using the FACE-Q Skin Cancer. METHODS: All patients who underwent CSE of nasal NMSC with immediate primary closure or second intention healing between March 2018 and March 2020 at Máxima Medisch Centrum Veldhoven were identified and asked to complete the FACE-Q Skin Cancer. RESULTS: Of 183 patients, 140 patients completed the questionnaire. Fifty-five defects were closed by primary closure (38.5%) and 88 by second intention healing (61.5%). Thirty-one complications were reported (16.7%), of which 87.1% (n = 27) after second intention healing (p = .004). Both groups experienced high facial and scar satisfaction, low appearance-related distress, and no to minimal adverse effects. Second intention healing had 2.7 higher odds of achieving the maximum scar satisfaction score (p = .02). CONCLUSION: This study shows high satisfaction on facial and scar appraisal, low appearance-related distress, and no to minimal adverse effects for second intention healing and primary closure after CSE of nasal NMSC.