jsmc-10085

CORRECTION OF WHISTLE DEFORMITY BY BILOBED MUCOSAL FLAP TECHNIQUE IN UNILATERAL CLEFT LIP

Ari Raheem Qader *, Hawree A Hassan ** and Dana Abdulmajid ***

*    Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sulaimani.

**  Sulaimani Burn and Plastic Surgery Hospital.

*** Department of Community Health, Technical College of Health, Sulaimani Polytechnic University.

Submitted: 26/6/2015; Accepted: 27/12/2015; Published: 1/6/2016

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.17656/jsmc.10085 

ABSTRACT

Background 

The whistle deformity is one of the common sequelae of secondary cleft lip deformities. It is often accompanied by asymmetric upper lip thickness and insufficient vermilion tubercle. The bilobed mucosal flap was described by Song Tao. To correct these deformities in a single stage, we have used the same technique in our study and combined with other procedure to correct wider array of secondary cleft lip deformities.

Objectives

To evaluate the reliability and versatility of bilobed mucosal flap in reconstruction of whistle deformity, insufficient tubercle and lateral vermilion redundant.

Methods

Nine patients with whistling deformities were included in our study. Their ages ranged from 5-34 year. All cases were corrected by bilobed mucosal flap, which consist of two lobes The first lobe located at the oral mucosa of the lateral affected lip side, used to correct whistle deformity and augmenting the tubercle. The second lobe elevated from the lateral vermilion mucosa on the affected side and used to repair the oral mucosal defect, at the same time it decreases the excess on the lateral side.

Results

Minimum follows up was 6 month. All patients were satisfied with the aesthetic outcomes. In all of the patients, whistle deformity were corrected, tubercle augmented and more symmetric vermilion appearance were achieved. Major complications (necrosis of mucosal flap, infection and recurrence of whistling deformity) did not occur in any of the patient.

Conclusion

A bilobed mucosal flap is a safe and simple procedure, effectively performed to correct combined secondary deformities after primary cheleoplasty in unilateral cleft lip patient. It can be combined with other procedures to revise upper lip scar, repair muscular diastases, and correction of severe whistle deformity.

KEYWORDS

Whistle deformity, cleft lip, Scar.

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