A striking surgery performed in the city of Suleimaniye, Iraq, went viral after images were shared of a patient who had a new nose “grown” on his forehead.
The man had lost much of his nose after suffering a high-voltage electric shock while working, an injury that is extremely difficult to reconstruct due to damage to the skin, tissues, and blood supply.
The procedure was performed by surgeon Diyar Abdulwahid Salih and involved a technique known as a prelaminated paramedian forehead flap.
To create the new nasal structure, doctors extracted cartilage from one of the patient’s own ribs and temporarily implanted it in his forehead. There, the tissue began to become vascularized and integrate with the body, forming the foundation of a future nose.
The images show a prominent structure on the forehead, which led many users to think it was a mistake or a deformity. In reality, that is precisely the key stage of the reconstruction.
According to the medical team, in a second surgery the new nose will be moved from the forehead to its normal position on the face.
Specialists point out that this type of operation is considered one of the most complex and uncommon facial reconstructions, as it requires combining cartilage grafts, microsurgery, and careful preservation of the blood supply.
The case has caused a major stir because it demonstrates how far modern reconstructive surgery can go when a patient has lost an essential part of their face.