A mucosal island flap to repair vermilion defects of the lips.

This article describes a one-stage technique to reconstruct up to one-third of the vermilion after full-thickness excision of the lips. It is based on a mucosal elliptically shaped random island flap from the inner lip, combined with a conventional skin flap from the surrounding area. The procedure can be performed under local anesthesia. Healing is achieved in 8 days. The technique has been employed in 9 patients, both on lower and on upper lips and even on different sides of the same lip. The results are aesthetically and functionally good.