[General principles of lip surgery]

A successful lip reconstruction gives a shape illusion and re-establishes physiological function. We must be able to respect static and dynamic function and the axiom "use of lip to repair lip defect". Local flaps provide optimal tissue to replace the lip in the surrounding structures, to respect aesthetic subunits and commissural function, to give a neuro-muscular continuity respecting fibers direction and mucosal quality. If extra-labial tissue is necessary, the use of the same principles enables the best compromise in shape and function as possible.