Muscle reconstruction in unilateral cleft lip

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Craniofacial Surgery
• Pediatric Surgery

Background:

• Cleft lip repair necessitates precise muscle reconstruction for optimal functional and aesthetic outcomes.
• The orbicularis oris muscle's complex anatomy presents challenges in achieving accurate muscular union.
• Understanding muscle bundle orientation is crucial for successful surgical repair.

Purpose of the Study:

• To discuss existing theories on orbicularis oris muscle orientation in cleft lip repair.
• To review various surgical methods for muscle reconstruction in cleft lip cases.
• To present a specific surgical technique for cleft lip muscle reconstruction.

Main Methods:

• Review of two primary theories regarding orbicularis oris muscle bundle direction.
• Presentation and discussion of five distinct muscle repair techniques.
• Detailed description of a novel reconstruction method employing Millard skin incision and layered closure.

Main Results:

• The study evaluates different approaches to muscle reconstruction, considering adjacent muscles and bilateral muscle use.
• A specific technique utilizing a Millard incision and meticulous layer-by-layer closure is detailed.
• The presented method aims to improve the functional and aesthetic results of cleft lip repair.

Conclusions:

• Accurate muscle reconstruction is paramount in cleft lip surgery.
• The discussed theories and methods offer insights into optimizing surgical repair.
• The presented Millard incision and layer-by-layer closure technique provides a viable approach for cleft lip muscle reconstruction.