Lip reconstruction after major tissue loss

Background: Major defects of the lips are challenging to the reconstructive surgeon. The goals in treating total or near total lip defects are reconstruction of the skin, the muscle, the mucosal lining, maintenance of oral competence and an acceptable cosmetic appearance. Six patients with major lip defects from various causes as seen in our practice were successfully managed are discussed. Case reports: Two patients had major lower lip loss following gunshot injuries, one patient had major upper lip defect following blast injury. Two other patients had post excision defects for lip malignancy while the last had a congenital midline defect of the upper lip and primary palate. All patients had lip reconstruction using local flaps, no flap loss was recorded and the postoperative appearance was acceptable to them. Conclusion: Functional and aesthetic outcomes appear acceptable when local flaps are employed in lip reconstruction in this black population even with major lip defects. Key words: lip reconstruction, major lip defects