Secondary correction of deformities of the vermilion with exposed oral mucosa after cleft lip repair.

There is much discussion on the deformities of the vermilion after cleft lip repair such as a notch and uneven thickness of the vermilion because of insufficient union of the orbicularis oris muscle, vertical scar contracture of the vermilion, and suture sufficiency. However, it is relatively rare for a corrective method of the coloration and texture of the vermilion to become an issue. Prominent deformities can remain because of the exposed oral mucosa in the vermilion region. This exposure is due to the difference in the widths of the dry lip and wet lip. Furthermore, because wet lip is placed in a dry environment, there are a number of complaints such as constant scab formation. For such postoperative deformities of the vermilion, conventional secondary corrections have been performed such as Z-plasty and V-Y plasty. In our study, we used the scar of the vermilion as a pedicle flap and obtained relatively good results. The advantages of this method include not wasting tissue, relatively easy correction of coloration and texture of the vermilion, and formation of the labial tubercle. This method is thought to be a useful technique for vermilion deformities after cleft lip repair with exposed oral mucosa.