Correction of Short Lateral Lip in Unilateral Cleft Lip

Hwang, Weon Jung; Uhm, Ki Il

Abstract

Deficiency of upper lip tissue is a difficult problem in cleft lip repair. Various kinds of operation technique such as triangular flap and Millard method has been developed. but, when the severe vertical tissue deficiency is present, there are limitations in making a symmetric lip contour. We defined the short lateral lip when the vertical distance from alar base to the imaginary peak of cupid bow pont is less than vertical distance from alar base to noncleft cupid bow peak. Rareoperation techniques to solve the short lateral lip has been suggested until nowadays. So, we classified the short lateral lip as mild, moderate and severe cases. And we tried the following 3 methods for correction of short lateral lip. In mild cases, we used the C-flap and small triangular flap which can lengthen the short lateral lip about 2 to 3 mm just above the white line. And the moderate cases, it can corrected with lattis method. For the lengthening of very short lateral lip in cleft side, full thickness skin from the posterior auricular area is grafted onto the redrapped muscle of cleft side muscle bulge.