Introduction of Non-Native Ticks Collected from Fresh Migratory Bird Carcasses on a Stopover Island in the Republic of Korea

When free-ranging birds are accidentally killed or die, there may be greater potential for their associated ticks to detach, seek alternate hosts, and become established. We examined 711 carcasses of 95 avian species for ticks at a stopover island of migratory birds in the Republic of Korea where only Ixodes nipponensis and I. persulcatus were previously reported from local mammals and vegetation. A total of 16 ticks, I. turdus and Haemaphysalis flava, were collected from 8 fresh carcasses belonging to 5 avian species. Despite their known abundance on migratory birds and mainland Korea, these species had not colonized the isolated insular ecosystem possibly due to the low abundance and diversity of local hosts. The results imply that increasing human impact, such as the anthropogenic mortality of migratory birds and the introduction of non-native mammalian hosts, will increase the potential invasion and colonization risk of ticks. This finding also suggests that tick surveillance consisting of fresh carcasses of dead migratory birds may provide additional information, often ignored in surveillance of ticks on live birds, for the potential introduction of non-native ticks and associated pathogens affecting animal and human health.

Embolization for treating posttraumatic pseudoaneurysm of the sphenopalatine artery

Posttraumatic pseudoaneurysms of the sphenopalatine artery are rare. Only a few cases have been reported. We report two cases of hemorrhage due to pseudoaneurysm of the sphenopalatine artery. The hemorrhage was uncontrollable. It required embolization. Two patients visited our hospital for treatment of zygomaticomaxillary complex fracture. At the emergency room, patients presented with massive nasal bleeding which ceased shortly. After reduction of the fracture, patients presented persistent nasopharyngeal bleeding. Under suspicion of intracranial vessel injury, we performed angiography. Angiograms revealed pseudoaneurysms of the sphenopalatine artery. Endovascular embolization was performed, leading to successful hemostasis in both patients. Due to close proximity to pterygoid plates, zygomaticomaxillary complex fracture involving pterygoid plates may cause injury of the sphenopalatine artery. The only presentation of sphenopalatine artery injury is nasopharyngeal bleeding which is common. Based on our clinical experience, although pseudoaneurysm of maxillary artery branch after maxillofacial trauma has a low incidence, suspicion of injury involving deeply located arteries and early imaging via angiogram are recommended to manage recurrent bleeding after facial trauma or surgery.

A better facial contour accomplished by parotid duct preserving superficial parotidectomy

Depression of facial contour after parotidectomy is still challenging to many of surgeons. A 68-year-old man presented with a 4-month history of a painless swelling in both parotid area. The mass was multiple and fixed at the parotid region. We conducted a parotid duct preserving bilateral superficial parotidectomy by one-stage operation to remove the multiple tumors. A lazy S incision was made in both preauricular area and the peripheral branches of the facial nerve were identified using surgical landmark. After dissecting the branches of the facial nerve and parotid duct, main parotid duct was preserved but only small fine ductules from the superficial lobe were ligated. Parotid gland was excised from its anterior aspect with about 1 cm of normal parotid tissue margin. The patient was followed up for 6 years to evaluate postoperative parotid gland function and the computed tomography (CT) was taken. Patient was satisfied with no significant complication such as sunken changes in facial contour, facial nerve function. As far as we know, it is the first study to compare long-term soft tissue contours of soft tissue of duct preserving superficial parotidectomy with duct sacrificing superficial parotidectomy by means of CT findings.

Alar Rim Composite Graft: A Safe and Simple Way to Correct Alar Retraction

BACKGROUND: The alar rim is a complex structure that ensures the competence of the external valves and the patency of inlets to the nasal airways. Retraction of the alar rim is caused by congenital malpositioning, hypoplasia, or surgical weakening of the lateral crura, with the potential for both functional and aesthetic ramifications. Most previously introduced procedures involved a relatively long operation time and relatively high risks of surgical complications. The purpose of this study is to introduce a novel surgical technique for alar rim connection and to present its results. METHODS: After marking the extent of the correction, the recipient alar bed was created by making an incision through the vestibular skin 2-mm cephalad to the rim. Then, the composite graft was harvested from the cymba concha by removing the cartilage with its adherent anterior skin. According to the degree of retraction, the harvested composite graft was divided into 2 pieces considering the symmetry of both alar rims. The composite grafts were inserted into the defects and primary closure was done at the donor site. RESULTS: Our surgical technique was used to correct 12 retracted alar rims in 6 patients. Caudal advancement of the alar rims was observed and the contour of the ala was corrected in all 6 patients. The mean length of follow-up was 1-year, and there were no postoperative complications, such as graft loss or disruption. CONCLUSIONS: The alar rim composite graft is a safe and simple technique for correction of short nostril and caudal transposition of the retracted alar rim.

Four Limb Shaped Auricular Chondrocutaneous Composite Graft for the Alar and the Columellar Defects

BACKGROUND: Composite grafts have advantages for small nasal defect coverage. However, if the the outer skin defect and the inner skin defect have a different location, conventional composite grafts encounter considerable limitations. Therefore, we devised a 4-limbed graft to overcome this limitation by use of soft tissue transposition. METHODS: Over the course of 5 years, this auricular composite graft was used in 10 cases of reconstruction. We harvested skin and cartilage from the helix. The composite graft had 2 limbs of soft tissue to cover the nasal defect and another 2 limbs of cartilage to support nasal framework. The cartilage limbs extended 3 to 5 mm beyond the margin of the skin. The direction of each limb was modified according to defect position. RESULTS: All 10 composite grafts survived completely. All composite grafts shrank by a small percentage of their bulk. Nonetheless, the nasal framework was maintained to an acceptable extent because of the cartilage limbs. CONCLUSIONS: This technique was capable not only of covering defects in the alar and columellar area, but also of maintaining a satisfactory external appearance, because the 2 limbs of cartilage included in the graft strengthened the nasal framework and provided modest support to the nostril margin. The 2 limbs of soft tissue covered the defect area. Our 4-limbed auricular chondrocutaneous composite graft is reliable option for the reconstruction of alar and columellar defects in a single-stage procedure.

A Novel Lactiferous Duct Preserving Method for Inverted Nipples: An Inlay Wrap-Around Flaps Supporting the Nipple Column

BACKGROUND: Inverted nipples can pose aesthetic and functional problems, especially for young women. The objectives of inverted nipple correction are both sufficient aesthetic projection of the nipple and postoperative functional preservation of the lactiferous ducts. Recurrence of nipple inversion is still an unsolved problem in many cases. We present a new nipple suspension technique using nipple- and areola-based dermal flaps for correcting inverted nipples and preserving the lactiferous duct to minimize the risk of recurrence. METHODS: We corrected six inverted nipples in three patients, which were classified as grade II using the Han and Hong classification of nipple inversion. The anteroposterior and lateral medical-quality photographs of the respective patients were identified for nipple protrusion and recurrence during a 6-month follow-up period to evaluate aesthetical goal and assess the sensitivity of the nipple to confirm preservation of the main lactiferous ducts. Surgical details are described within the main text. RESULTS: Preoperative and postoperative photography revealed good nipple protrusion during the 6-month follow-up period without any complications such as skin necrosis and recurrence. We were unable to directly identify breast-feeding function because all three patients were young and unmarried women. However, we assumed preservation of the main lactiferous duct since no nipple sensory change was identified in the postoperative examination when compared with the preoperative examination. CONCLUSIONS: With this method, we were able to confirm the hardness of the column and minimize the injury of the main lactiferous duct.

Ornithodoros sawaii (Ixodida: Argasidae) Larvae Collected from Hydrobates monorhis on Sogugul and Gaerin Islands, Jeollanam-do (Province), Republic of Korea

The 65th Medical Brigade and Public Health Command District-Korea, in collaboration with the Migratory Bird Research Center, National Park Research Institute, conducted migratory bird tick surveillance at Sogugul and Gaerin Islands (small rocky bird nesting sites), Jeollanam-do (Province), Republic of Korea (ROK), on 30 July and 1 August 2009. Breeding seabirds captured by hands in their nesting burrows were banded, identified to species, and carefully examined for ticks during the nesting season. A total of 9 Ornithodoros sawaii larvae were removed from 4 adult Hydrobates monorhis (Swinhoe's storm petrel). The identification of the larvae of O. sawaii collected from migratory seabirds were molecularly confirmed using mitochondrial 16S rDNA primer sets.

Chewing Lice of Swan Geese (Anser cygnoides): New Host-Parasite Associations

Chewing lice (Phthiraptera) that parasitize the globally threatened swan goose Anser cygnoides have been long recognized since the early 19th century, but those records were probably biased towards sampling of captive or domestic geese due to the small population size and limited distribution of its wild hosts. To better understand the lice species parasitizing swan geese that are endemic to East Asia, we collected chewing lice from 14 wild geese caught at 3 lakes in northeastern Mongolia. The lice were morphologically identified as 16 Trinoton anserinum (Fabricius, 1805), 11 Ornithobius domesticus Arnold, 2005, and 1 Anaticola anseris (Linnaeus, 1758). These species are known from other geese and swans, but all of them were new to the swan goose. This result also indicates no overlap in lice species between older records and our findings from wild birds. Thus, ectoparasites collected from domestic or captive animals may provide biased information on the occurrence, prevalence, host selection, and host-ectoparasite interactions from those on wild hosts.

Chewing Lice of Swan Geese (Anser cygnoides): New Host-Parasite Associations

Chewing lice (Phthiraptera) that parasitize the globally threatened swan goose Anser cygnoides have been long recognized since the early 19th century, but those records were probably biased towards sampling of captive or domestic geese due to the small population size and limited distribution of its wild hosts. To better understand the lice species parasitizing swan geese that are endemic to East Asia, we collected chewing lice from 14 wild geese caught at 3 lakes in northeastern Mongolia. The lice were morphologically identified as 16 Trinoton anserinum (Fabricius, 1805), 11 Ornithobius domesticus Arnold, 2005, and 1 Anaticola anseris (Linnaeus, 1758). These species are known from other geese and swans, but all of them were new to the swan goose. This result also indicates no overlap in lice species between older records and our findings from wild birds. Thus, ectoparasites collected from domestic or captive animals may provide biased information on the occurrence, prevalence, host selection, and host-ectoparasite interactions from those on wild hosts.

Oxidative Damage and Nuclear Factor Erythroid 2-Related Factor 2 Protein Expression in Normal Skin and Keloid Tissue

BACKGROUND: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in the induction of apoptosis under pathological conditions. Recently, a significant increase in ROS production and disrupted apoptosis mechanisms in keloids have been reported. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) represents one of the most important cellular defense mechanisms against oxidative stress and is implicated in the regulation of apoptosis. Recently, it has been reported that Nrf2 upregulates Bcl-2, an anti-apoptotic protein. OBJECTIVE: To compare Nrf2 protein expression in normal skin tissues to keloid tissues. METHODS: ROS generation in keloid tissues was evaluated with OxyBlot analysis. Western blotting and/or immunohistochemical staining approaches were used to study expression of Nrf2 or Bcl-2 in keloid and normal skin tissues. Cellular fractionation was performed to examine subcellular distribution of Nrf2. Transfection of fibroblasts with Nrf2-specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) was conducted to understand the relationship between Nrf2 expression and apoptosis induction. RESULTS: Protein oxidation, a marker of oxidative stress, is increased in keloid tissues. Western blot analysis clearly showed that Nrf2 and Bcl-2 are downregulated in keloid tissues. Immunohistochemical staining of Nrf2 confirmed the results of the western blot analysis. Transfection of fibroblasts with the Nrf2-specific siRNA results in increased apoptosis and decreased cell viability. CONCLUSION: Collectively, our data indicate that Nrf2 expression is downregulated in keloid tissues, and that Nrf2 is involved in the development of apoptosis in Nrf2 siRNA-transfected fibroblasts. We propose that a defective antioxidant system and apoptotic dysregulation may participate in keloid pathogenesis.

Oxidative Damage and Nuclear Factor Erythroid 2-Related Factor 2 Protein Expression in Normal Skin and Keloid Tissue

BACKGROUND: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in the induction of apoptosis under pathological conditions. Recently, a significant increase in ROS production and disrupted apoptosis mechanisms in keloids have been reported. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) represents one of the most important cellular defense mechanisms against oxidative stress and is implicated in the regulation of apoptosis. Recently, it has been reported that Nrf2 upregulates Bcl-2, an anti-apoptotic protein. OBJECTIVE: To compare Nrf2 protein expression in normal skin tissues to keloid tissues. METHODS: ROS generation in keloid tissues was evaluated with OxyBlot analysis. Western blotting and/or immunohistochemical staining approaches were used to study expression of Nrf2 or Bcl-2 in keloid and normal skin tissues. Cellular fractionation was performed to examine subcellular distribution of Nrf2. Transfection of fibroblasts with Nrf2-specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) was conducted to understand the relationship between Nrf2 expression and apoptosis induction. RESULTS: Protein oxidation, a marker of oxidative stress, is increased in keloid tissues. Western blot analysis clearly showed that Nrf2 and Bcl-2 are downregulated in keloid tissues. Immunohistochemical staining of Nrf2 confirmed the results of the western blot analysis. Transfection of fibroblasts with the Nrf2-specific siRNA results in increased apoptosis and decreased cell viability. CONCLUSION: Collectively, our data indicate that Nrf2 expression is downregulated in keloid tissues, and that Nrf2 is involved in the development of apoptosis in Nrf2 siRNA-transfected fibroblasts. We propose that a defective antioxidant system and apoptotic dysregulation may participate in keloid pathogenesis.

Combined Subbrow Excision with Upper Blepharoplasty Using a Tadpole Shaped Excision for Blepharochalasis

BACKGROUND: In efforts to solve blepharochalasis, induced by aging process, various surgical methods have been developed over the years. Among them, classical upper blepharoplasty has a problem that severe lateral hooding may be restricted in making correction, cause of difference in thickness between the pretarsal skin and subbrow skin. And also subbrow excision (SE) blepharoplasty cannot be easily corrected in severe drooping of the medial skin. In an effort to make up for the disadvantages of these methods, we attempted SE-tadpole shaped excision blepharoplasty (TSEB). METHODS: Fifteen patients underwent SE-TSEB from January 2013 to November 2014. SE-TSEB was performed the following cases: 1) patients who showed moderate to severe blepharochasis with severe lateral wrinkles; 2) patients with a history of pre-existent SE blepharoplasty; 3) patients with a tattoo on the eyebrows, who want to make revision; and 4) patients with eyelid skins that are thick or have overly protuberant fat pads of the retro-orbicularis oculi fat (ROOF), and have a plan to extirpate them. RESULTS: During the follow-up observation period, most patients showed amicable correction of visibility difficulty and were aesthetically satisfied with the postoperative results with respect to correction of the lateral wrinkles. Scars formed in the subbrow incision line were within the scope of management. CONCLUSIONS: SE-TSEB is a treatment modality that overcomes the disadvantages and limitations of classical upper blepharoplasty and SE blepharoplasty. Furthermore, maximizing the advantage of each surgical approach is another innovative approach for correction of changes in the upper eyelid, induced by aging.

Various Applications of Deep Temporal Fascia in Rhinoplasty

PURPOSE: In Asians, nasal dorsal and tip augmentation procedures are usually performed at the same time, and most dorsal augmentations use implants. In this study, dorsal augmentation was given by various types of grafts using deep temporal fascia (DTF) for primary rhinoplasty cases using only autologous tissues to improve the curve of hump noses and depressions. For secondary rhinoplasty cases, DTF was used to improve implant demarcation and transparency. Such effectiveness and utility of DTF is discussed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between May 2009 and May 2012, we performed rhinoplasty using DTF in 175 patients, which included 78 secondary surgery patients and 128 female patients. The mean age of the patients was 31.4. DTF was utilized with various types of grafts without implants to improve the curve in dorsal augmentation of hump noses and cases that required curve betterment. DTF was used to improve implant demarcation and transparency for secondary cases. RESULTS: The mean follow-up duration was 1.5 years. Of the 175 patients, 81% were satisfied with the natural correction achieved, whereas 19% complained of undercorrection, which was resolved with additional surgery. No specific complications such as nasal inflammation or contractures were observed. CONCLUSION: DTF can be used with various graft methods for correction of radix, dorsal, and tip irregularities. It can also be used to correct implant contour transparency in secondary rhinoplasty and thus may be considered as a useful supplementary graft material in rhinoplasty for Asians.

A Case of Multiple Piloleiomyoma on the Shoulder, which is Mistaken for Keloid

A 30-year-old male presented with multiple tender erythematous nodules, varying in size from 0.5 cm to 2 cm on the right shoulder of the body. He gave a history of pain associated with these lesions, especially on exposure to cold and touch. These lesions showed multi-segmental distribution; each began as a papule, which gradually increased both in size and number to form a nodule. The lesions, which were misdiagnosed as keloids at another hospital, were managed with numerous intralesional steroid injections. This treatment did not improve the symptoms. Based on the history and cutaneous findings during the physical examination, we considered a diagnosis of a benign tumor. Among the lesions, some of the larger ones were completely excised, followed by excision biopsy. We then made a diagnosis of cutaneous leiomyoma, more specifically, piloleiomyoma. The excisional lesions were covered by skin grafts and closed by primary repair.

Expression of Nuclear Factor Erythroid 2 Protein in Malignant Cutaneous Tumors

BACKGROUND: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) damages cell molecules, and modifies cell signaling. The nuclear factor E2-related factor (Nrf2) is a critical transcription regulator, which protects cells against oxidative damage. Nrf2 expression is increased in a large number of cancers. However, little information has been reported regarding the expression of Nrf2 in skin cancers. Hence, we explored the expression of Nrf2 protein in skin cancers. METHODS: The Nrf2 protein expression in 24 specimens, including 6 malignant melanomas (MM), 6 squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), 6 basal cell carcinomas (BCC), and 6 normal skin tissues, was evaluated by western blotting. Immunohistochemical staining was performed. The expression of Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1), the key regulator of Nrf2, was also analyzed by western blotting. RESULTS: Small interfering RNA transfection to the melanoma cell line G361 confirmed that an approximately 66 kDa band was the true Nrf2 band. The western blot revealed that the Nrf2 protein was definitely expressed in normal skin tissues, but the Nrf2 expression was decreased in MM, SCC, and BCC. Immunohistochemical examination showed that expression of Nrf2 was decreased in all skin cancer tissues compared to the normal skin tissues. Keap1 was not expressed in all malignant skin tumors and normal skin tissues by western blot. CONCLUSIONS: ROS was increased in various types of cancers which proteins were highly expressed or underexpressed. This study demonstrated that the expression of Nrf2 protein was down-regulated in human malignant skin tumors. We suggest that decreased expression of Nrf2 is related to skin cancers.

Utility of Toe-brachial Index for Diagnosis of Peripheral Artery Disease

BACKGROUND: The ankle brachial pressure index (ABI) is a simple, useful method for diagnosing peripheral artery disease (PAD). Although the ABI is an objective diagnostic method, it has limited reliability in certain scenarios. The aim of the present study was to determine the accuracy and reliability of the toe brachial index (TBI) as a diagnostic tool for detecting stenosis in PAD, associated with normal or low ABI values. METHODS: ABI and TBI values were measured in 15 patients with diabetic gangrene who were suspected of having lower extremity arterial insufficiency. The ABI and TBI values were measured using a device that allowed the simultaneous measurement of systolic blood pressure in the upper and lower extremities. In addition, the ABI and TBI values were compared pre- and post-angiography. RESULTS: Patients with an ABI of 0.9-1.3 showed almost no difference between the 2 measurements. The patients with TBI >0.6 had no arterial insufficiency. The patients with TBI <0.6 required vascular intervention with ballooning. After the angiography, the gangrenous wounds decreased in size more rapidly than they did prior to the intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that TBI is the method of choice for evaluating lower limb perfusion disorders. This result requires further studies of TBI in a larger number of patients. Future long-term studies should therefore evaluate the utility of TBI as a means of screening for PAD and the present findings should be regarded as preliminary outcomes.

Clinical and Statistical Analysis in 452 Cases of Nasal Bone Fracture Patients

PURPOSE: Nasal bone fracture is most common facial bone fracture. The cause of fractures is mainly trauma such as fighting, automobile accident and fall down, and it commonly involves young males. Very frequently nasal bone fractures are associated with other facial injuries such as orbital bone fracture, maxillary bone fracture and nasal septal deformities. Because of various dynamic directions of power are involved, phenomenon of fractures are also various and treatment cannot be simple. METHODS: We studied and analyzed retrospectively 452 cases nasal bone fractures from January 2008 to December 2010. Diagnosis were made with physical examination, Nasal bone X-rays, Facial bone CT and 3D facial bone CT. Four surgeons are involved in treatments of these patients and applied different procedure along patient's condition and deformity. We analyzed the cause of nasal bone fractures, deformities, associate injuries and applied surgical technique, and patient's satisfaction rate. In this study, old nasal bone fractures were excluded. RESULTS: Young male group was most commonly sustained nasal bone fracture and physical violence was most common cause of injury. 64 of 452 patient was involved associate injuries of face. Closed reduction were applied 246 cases and C-arm quide reduction were 167 cases and in 20 cases lateral osteotomy were applied. Approximately, more than 80% of the Patients were satisfied with the outcomes. CONCLUSION: Diagnosis and treatment of nasal bone fractures are considered simple but because of various deformity and associate injuries, treatment is not always simple and universal. Time to time, we face unsatisfied patient after treatment of nasal bone fractures. For obtaining satisfactory result, cause of injury and state of deformities and associate injuries such as nasal septal deformity should be evaluated properly and proper treatment should be applied.

A Case of Congenital Midline Fistula of the Lower Lip

PURPOSE: Congenital midline upper lip sinus is a rare lesion. There are two postulates that can account for the formation of the upper lip sinus based on two major theories of the development of the face: the fusion theory and the merging theory. However, congenital midline lower lip sinus is very rarely reported and described. We report a case of a congenital midline sinus of the lower lip in a 6-year-old female. METHODS: A 6-year-old girl presented with a nipple like swelling on the midline lower lip. Physical examination revealed about 5x5mm protruding round mass with a just small opening that was non-tender to palpation. The mass was not associated with any skin changes. It umbilicated at the apex and contains a fistulous tract, discharging clear fluid. Only, simple radiologic finding shows bony spur on the lower one third of mandibular symphsis. RESULTS: A small transverse ellipse is made around the opening and elevated mass with sharpe dissection. The tract is excised using the probe and dye as the guide. The tract was extended to periosteum of the lower one third of the mandible. The tract and involved periosteum were excised en bloc, and removed protrusion of the mandibular bone using diamond burr. Microscopic examination of the resected sinus revealed the fistulous tract itself, consisting of fibrous connective tissue covered with cornified stratified squamous epithelium, was observed in the center of the sample. In 6 months follow-up, This patient had a good result was obtained by the method of fistulectomy alone. CONCLUSION: Midline cranoifacial fistulas represent rare lesions resulting from abnormal fusion of embryologic structures. Our case report describes the excision of a congenital midline sinus of the lower lip in a 6-year-old female. This case represents the first report of a lower lip sinus presenting in a girl as a mass in the skin of the chin with extension to the midline of the mandible. However, the etiology of this rare congenital sinus remains obscure.

Ticks Collected from Selected Mammalian Hosts Surveyed in the Republic of Korea During 2008-2009

A tick survey was conducted to determine the relative abundance and distribution of ticks associated with selected mammals in the Republic of Korea (ROK) during 2008-2009. A total of 918 ticks were collected from 76 mammals (6 families, 9 species) captured at 6 provinces and 3 Metropolitan Cities in ROK. Haemaphysalis longicornis (54.4%) was the most frequently collected tick, followed by Haemaphysalis flava (28.5%), Ixodes nipponensis (7.6%), Ixodes pomerantzevi (4.8%), Ixodes persulcatus (4.6%), and Haemaphysalis japonica (0.1%). Adults (57.0%) and nymphs (28.7%) of Ixodes and Haemaphysalis spp. were collected most frequently from medium or large mammals in this survey, while few larvae (14.3%) were collected. Hydropotes inermis was the most frequently captured mammal (52.6%), with a 16.4 tick index and 5 of 6 species of ticks collected during this survey. H. longicornis (69.7%) was the predominant tick collected from H. inermis, followed by H. flava (22.2%), I. persulcatus (6.1%), I. nipponensis (1.8%), and H. japonica (0.2%).

Clinical Experience with Nasolabial Cysts Using the Sublabial Approach

PURPOSE: A nasolabial cyst is a rare non-odontogenic, soft-tissue, developmental cyst arising anywhere on the face inferior to the nasoalar region. It is thought to arise from either epithelial remnants trapped along the lines of fusion during the development of face or the remnants of the developing nasolacrimal duct. This study examines various features of nasolabial cysts with bony involvement to provide a basis for correct diagnosis and treatment. METHODS: Eight cases of nasolabial cyst treated in Soonchunhyang Hospital between March 2002 and July 2010 were examined in terms of their clinical features and radiological and histological findings. Seven patients underwent surgical excision of the cyst via an intraoral, sublabial approach. One underwent incision and drainage. RESULTS: Our eight patients were seven women and one man. The most frequent symptoms and signs were facial deformity and swelling of the nasolabial fold. Computed tomography(CT) showed a well-circumscribed cystic mass lateral to the pyriform aperture. Seven cases had erosive lesions on CT, and the intraoperative findings were consistent with a nasolabial cyst with a bony defect. Typical histopathological findings showed that these cysts were most frequently lined with respiratory epithelium with ciliated columnar cells and cuboid cells. No patient developed complications or recurrences. CONCLUSION: A nasolabial cyst is often unrecognized or confused with other intranasal masses, including fissural and odontogenic cysts, midface infections, or swelling in the nasolabial area. Therefore, a careful clinical and radiological evaluation should be preformed when considering the differential diagnosis. We present eight patients with nasolabial cysts treated via a gingivobuccal approach with excellent functional and cosmetic results.