A tissue-expanding vermilion myocutaneous flap for lip repair.

An approach to lip reconstruction is described utilizing a myocutaneous vermilion flap based on the inferior labial artery. The inherent elasticity of the lip is used to great advantage by stretching the freed vermilion flap to bridge a loss of about one-half the lower lip. This vermilion flap may be worthy of consideration when reconstructing lip defects resulting from trauma (e.g., electric burns), tumor resections, and other congenital anomalies.