Objective To study the feasibil ity of repairing the mild unilateral eclabium deformity of the upper l ip with the lateral columella base-labrum transposition flap. Methods From March 2006 to March 2008, 8 patients with mild unilateral eclabium of the upper l i p were repaired with the lateral columella base-labrum transposition flap. There were 4 males and 4 females, aging 18-51 years. There were 5 at left sides and 3 at right sides. All mild unilateral eclabium were attributed to the contracture of scar after trauma. The disease course was 1 to 5 years (average 2.5 years). The size ofthe transposition flaps ranged from 1.5 cm × 1.4 cm to 1.6 cm × 1.5 cm. Results All the flaps survived and incision healed by first intention. The eclabiun deformity was corrected. The postoperative follow-up period was 3-18 months with an average of 9.9 months. All the patients remained just soft l inear scars without hyperplasia. The nostril and columella hardly changed compared with the postoperative immediate view. Conclusion The mild unilateral eclabium deformity of upper l i p repairing with lateral columella base-labrum transposition flap is an easy, mininally invasive and nearly no secondary malformation method.
Objective To evaluate the curative effect of the lateral nasal artery pedicled nasolabial flap for reconstruction of nasal defects. Methods From August 2005 to March 2009, 12 cases of large nasal tip and alar defects were repaired with the lateral nasal artery pedicled nasolabial flap. There were 5 male patients and 7 female patients with a mean ageof 48.6 years (range, 35-60 years). Five cases of nasal defects were caused by trauma and other defects were caused by excision of carcinoma or hemangioma; the courses of disease were 1 to 10 years and 3 months to 40 years, respectively. The nasal defect size ranged from 2.0 cm × 1.5 cm to 4.5 cm × 2.5 cm. All defects were reconstructed with lateral nasal artery pedicled nasolabial flap in 9 cases and with island flap in 3 cases. The flap size ranged from 2.5 cm × 2.0 cm to 7.0 cm × 3.0 cm. Five patients required cartilage grafts for alar rim support and the distal end of the nasolabial flap was thinned and folded to repair the nasal l ining. The donor sites were sutured directly. Results The mild venous stasis at the distal end of three island flaps occurred at 5-24 hours postoperatively and alleviated spontaneously. All flaps survived. Incision at donor and accepted sites healed by first intention. Flap revision was performed in 5 cases after 6-15 months because of mild swell ing at the pedicles of skin flaps. All patients were followed up 8-24 months, with an average of 13 months. All patients achieved satisfactory results in nasal appearance, flap texture and color, and ventilatory function. No obvious scar was found at donor sites. Conclusion The nasolabial flap is an excellent choice for reconstruction of defects of nasal tip and ala.