Combined Submental-tongue Flap for Reconstruction of Subtotal Traumatic Avulsion of Lower Lip: A Technical Note

Delayed reconstruction of large lower lip defects after traumatic avulsion is a challenge in medically compromised patients with concomitant cheek skin burn. Combination of orthograde submental transposition flap and anteriorly based ventral rectangular myomucosal tongue flap is useful. The former reconstructs the body of the defect, and the latter masks the red lip, resembling vermilion. In this article, the detailed surgical technique is explained. Literature review of tongue flap and submental flap in the lower lip reconstruction is presented.