[Reconstruction of the lips after resection of malignant lesions]

This review deals with the presently used techniques for reconstruction of full thickness lip defects that occur as a result of resection of malignant lesions of the lips. Reconstruction of full thickness defects of the lip is not an easy task. Since the lips have such centrally important aesthetic and functional roles, successful maintenance of these roles after reconstruction is of paramount importance. Small defects of up to 1/3 of the lip are normally fairly easily reconstructed by means of primary closure, while extremely large defects of almost the entire lip will need to be reconstructed by means of distant free flaps with microsurgical techniques. We review a broad range of local flaps utilized for the reconstruction of full thickness defects greater than 1/3 of the lip up to the reconstruction of more than 1/2, but not the entire lip. The article presents the advantages and disadvantages of several techniques which are currently widely used.