Reconstruction of the lower lip in Van der Woude syndrome

Van der Woude syndrome (VWS) is a congenital disease characterized by labial cysts, accessory salivary glands, congenital lower lip pits, fistula, and paramedian sinuses, and is often accompanied by cleft lip and palate. VWS is an autosomal dominant craniofacial syndrome, which represents only lower lip pits due to variable gene expression. The principles of VWS surgery include excision of lower lip pits and accessory glands, reconstruction of the lip and nose, and correction of accompanying anomalies. In this article, we present a technique with dermal allograft reconstruction to prevent deformities after excision of the accessory gland in the lower lip pit.