Functional Sharing of the Upper Orbicularis Oris Muscle for the Reconstruction of the Lower Lip

Abstract

The lip reconstruction is a very controversial topic in plastic surgery and many flaps have been described for this purpose. Despite all of the interventions, some patients still have problems such as drooling and gingival show that decrease their quality of life. In this study, the authors report a patient whose lower lip was resected totally for squamous cell carcinoma. His lip was reconstructed with radial forearm flap and the patient was referred to our clinic with the aforementioned complaints. A portion of the orbicularis oris muscle of the upper lip was designed as a bipedicled flap, and it was transposed to the lower lip to make the initial flap functional. After the operation, the sphincteric function of the lip was better, and the problems as drooling and gingival show were absent. In conclusion, this flap can be a good option to make the initial nonfunctional flaps (such as radial forearm flap), functional in the aspect of lower lip reconstruction. It has a function, and it is concordant with the principle of reconstructing like with like. The native muscle tissue of the upper lip can be transferred partially to maintain physiologic oral competency.