Meyer's surgical procedure for the treatment of lip carcinoma

Lip carcinomas are generally treated by surgery. A reconstruction is often required if the resected segment exceeds one-third of the lip. Meyer's plasty is an alternate way of reconstructing the lower or upper lip. The aim of this study is to describe the technique, its indications and results. A retrospective review of all patients who underwent a Meyer's plasty in our institution is presented. Twenty-four consecutive patients were treated in Lausanne for T1 and T2 lip carcinomas between 1983 and 2001. Primary surgery associated with Meyer's plasty was performed in all cases. Data were collected from the medical records, and eight patients were recalled for clinical evaluation. The oncological, functional and aesthetic results were analyzed. The 5-year local control was 100%. Three patients developed metachronous lymph node metastasis. No patient died from the disease. A hindering microstomy was found in three cases, and two patients suffered from temporary oral leakage. No speech difficulty was encountered. The aesthetics was described as satisfying or good in 87% of the patients. Meyer's plasty following lip surgery of the upper or lower lip allows an aesthetic and functional one-stage reconstruction without compromising the oncological outcome.