Reconstruction of a Total Vermilion Defect with a Tongue Flap in a Patient with Squamous Cell Carcinoma

The lips have important functional and esthetic facial features and the lips are used for relatively simple tasks, such as retaining oral contents, as well as for complex functions such as mastication, speech and expressing emotion. Therefore, it is esthetically and functionally critical to maintain the normal position and contour of the lips during reconstructive surgery. However, the freely movable nature of the vermilion and the cutaneous lip makes this area highly susceptible to distortion. We report here on a case of squamous cell carcinoma on the lower lip and the extensive surgical defect that resulted from total vermilionectomy and wedge resection of the lip was repaired with the tongue flap.