Lower Lip Reconstruction Using a Reversed Depressor Anguli Oris Musculocutaneous Flap / 대한이비인후과학회지

ABSTRACT

The lips are essential in maintaining oral competence and assist in mastication, deglutition, and articulation. The lips are also important aesthetically, contributing to appearance and facial expression. Defects of up to one third of the lower lip can be closed primarily, but larger defects require more complex techniques. Successful lip reconstruction require careful meticulous planning to achieve the optimum functional and cosmetic result. When planning a reconstruction of a large defect of the lower lip, the following points should be taken into consideration 1) maintain the sphincter function, 2) retain the sensation, 3) acquire a large enough opening for the mouth, 4) strive for an acceptable cosmetic appearance. It is not possible to satisfy all these criteria in every instance, and careful preoperative evaluation is essential. We describe here a successful technique to reconstruct a large lower lip defect using a depressor anguli oris musculocutaneous flap and a mucosal flap for elderly patients.