"Hammock" Mucosal advancement flaps:a new reconstruction method for lip defects.

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Reconstructive Surgery
• Facial Aesthetics

Background:

• Lip defects significantly impact facial aesthetics and function, posing surgical challenges.
• Current V-shaped excisions for lip tumors can cause microstomia and vertical scarring.
• Existing methods often compromise lip width and appearance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate a novel surgical technique for lip reconstruction.
• To address the limitations of conventional V-shaped excisions in lip defect repair.
• To present the
• hammock
• mucosal advancement flap as an effective solution for vermilion defects.

Main Methods:

• Development of bilaterally pedicled sliding mucosal flaps, named
• hammock
• flaps due to their structure.
• Application of the technique for repairing vermilion defects in lip reconstruction.
• Retrospective analysis of patient outcomes and satisfaction.

Main Results:

• The
• hammock
• flap technique successfully repaired lip defects without reducing transverse lip width.
• No cases of microstomia were observed, and aesthetic results were satisfactory.
• Patients reported high satisfaction with their lip appearance post-surgery.

Conclusions:

• The
• hammock
• mucosal advancement flap is a valuable technique for lip defect reconstruction.
• This method effectively preserves lip width and improves aesthetic outcomes.
• The study advocates for renewed interest and wider adoption of this technique.