Abstract

Lip Reconstruction with a Palatal Mucoperiosteal Graft

Ran Ito

To achieve complete lip closure, the lips must have sufficient and uniform thickness, which provides good aesthetic and functional results. There are many advantages to using palatal mucoperiosteal grafts for vermilion lip reconstruction: (1) the graft structure is anatomically and histologically similar to the vermilion lip, (2) donor site morbidity is less than that at other donor sites, (3) the color and texture match are good, (4) there is little postoperative shrinkage, and (5) the graft tissue is thicker than a palatal mucosa graft, helping ensure complete engraftment. This article outlines a novel procedure for lip reconstruction with a palatal mucoperiosteal graft.