Island Flap for Upper-Lip Reconstruction: Analysis of Key Aspects and a Case Series

Upper-lip reconstruction after Mohs micrographic surgery is challenging for dermatologic surgeons. We describe a series of 15 patients (7 men and 8 women; mean age, 65.6 years) with skin cancer on the upper lip treated with Mohs surgery: 10 were basal cell carcinomas, 2 were melanomas, and 3 were squamous cell carcinomas. The resulting defects measured between 3 and 7.6cm. We used island flaps to reconstruct the defects in all cases, hiding the incisions in the nasolabial fold, at the line where the skin meets the vermillion border of the lip, and in the relaxed skin tension lines. We explain key aspects of the surgeries and design of the reconstructions, with emphasis on the importance of occasionally sacrificing small areas of healthy skin. Cosmetic and functional outcomes were satisfactory in all patients, and there were no postsurgical complications.