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Updated: Oct 12, 2025
Engineered Vascularized Muscle Flap
Published on: January 11, 2016
The Use of Vastus Lateralis Muscle Flap for Functional Lip Reconstruction
Bruce Lelala1, Conrad Pienaar, Donald A Hudson
1Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Groote Schuur Hospital and University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
Background:
Total or near-total lip defects poses a serious challenge to a reconstructive surgeon with static procedures not providing desired functional and aesthetic outcomes. The dynamic lip reconstructive methods using functional muscles have become a current issue in recent years showing admirable results. This study present 3 cases of successful total and near-total lip reconstruction are presented using vastus lateralis muscle.
Methods:
This is a retrospective analysis of a consecutive series of 3 patients (2 men and 1 woman) aged 44 to 56 years (mean) who had resection of extensive squamous cell carcinoma 2 had both upper and lower lip involved and 1 had lower lip involvement only. After resection patients had near total full thickness lower lip defect and 40% upper lip defect. The innervated vastus lateralis muscle free flap was transferred to the lip and end-to-end vascular anastomosis on the facial artery and end-to-side to internal jaguar vein was performed. The marginal mandibular branch of the facial nerve was used for nerve coaptation. The inner and outer surfaces of the flaps were grafted with a thick-split-thickness skin graft. Drooling rating scale and patient and observer scar assessment scale as well as electromyography were performed to evaluate oral competency and aesthetic outcome.
Results:
All patients underwent single stage near-total lower lip and 2 had part of upper lip reconstruction successfully and survived the surgical operation. One patient lost the skin graft and was managed consecutively and muscle granulated and healed. Two patients underwent radiation therapy and 1 died before starting radiation due to other unnatural causes. The 2 patients achieved perfect oral sphincter competence without drooling and at 9months postoperative demonstrated successful reinnervation of the vastus lateralis muscle.
Conclusions:
This study demonstrates that lip reconstruction using an innervated vastus lateralis muscle free flap is a reliable method, providing a functional lip.
