Interim Prosthetic Rehabilitation of a Patient Following Partial Rhinectomy: A Clinical Report Satyabodh S. Guttala Paras Vohrab Lekha K. Pillaic Ramesh K.Nadigerd AbstrAct Surgical defects often have adverse effects on patient perception of esthetics and self-esteem. Rehabilitation of such surgical defects poses a challenge to the clinician. Presented here is a clinical report of an interim prosthetic rehabilitation of a patient who underwent partial rhinectomy for basal cell carcinoma. Nasal resection included part of the nasal septum, the entire cartilage, and the ala. An interim nasal prosthesis was fabricated for this patient 3 weeks after surgery, to provide early re- habilitation. This prosthesis provided a sociopsychological benefit to the patient, and the prosthesis was well tolerated. The spectacle glasses retained the prosthetic nose. (Eur J Dent 2010;4:482-486) Key words: Nasal prosthesis; Maxillofacial prosthesis; Immediate prosthetic replacement. IntroducIno Surgical defects of the midface resulting from malignant disease pose a challenge to patient re- habilitation. Basal cell carcinoma is a cancer that arises in the basal cell layer of the epidermis. a Associate Professor, Department of Prosthodontics, SDM College of Dental Sciences and Hospital, Sattur Dharwad. Karnataka, India. b Senior Lecturer, Saraswati Dental College, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. c Professor, Department of Prosthodontics, SDM College of Dental Sciences and Hospital, Sattur Dharwad. Karnataka, India. d Professor and Head, Chairman for Post Graduate Studies, Chief convener for Dental Technologists Course, Dept. of Prosthodontics, SDM College of Dental Sciences, Dharwad. Corresponding author: Dr. Satyabodh S. Guttal Associate Professor, Department of Prosthodontics, SDM College of Dental Sciences and Hospital, Sattur, Dharwad – 580 009, Karnataka, India. Fax: 91-836-2467612 E-mail: drsatyabodh@yahoo.co.in Sunlight is a contributing factor in 90% of the cas- es. The disease is usually triggered by damage to the skin caused by sunrays. Basal cell carcinoma of the nasal vestibule is common in Caucasians but rare in blacks and sub- continent Indians. In contrast to one-third of ma- lignancies of non melanoma skin cancer in whites, among Indians, only 1–2% of these cancers occur in the skin.1 Basal cell carcinoma has a particular predilection for the upper central part of the face as an occurrence site.2 About 88–90% of basal cell carcinomas may be seen mainly in sun exposed areas like the face and neck.3 Basal cell carcinoma of the nasal area has a high cure rate of more than 95% but a delay in seeking treatment can allow the cancer to en- large, causing possible disability.4 Treatment of basal cell carcinoma of the nasal vestibule varies, depending on the size, depth, and location of the cancer. Treatment options are surgical removal, 482 European Journal of Dentistry