A miniunit approach to lip reconstruction.

Aesthetic units of the face have been described previously. Burget applied the subunit principle to upper lip reconstruction. When defects are too small to replace subunits, we have employed a miniunit approach for their closure. When potential or actual wrinkle lines, as well as contour subunit lines, are used in flap design, miniunit flaps can be created which improve the aesthetic results. Symmetry, normal contour, preservation of normal layered muscular anatomy, and unnoticeable scars are attainable. Included herein is a description and evaluation of the advantages of this principle.