Aesthetic and Functional Surgical Management of Microform Cleft Lip With a Vermilion Border Incision

TL;DR

A new surgical technique for microform cleft lip uses a vermilion border incision to improve aesthetics and function while minimizing scarring.

Contribution

A novel vermilion border incision technique is introduced to reduce scarring and preserve lip appearance in microform cleft lip surgery.

Findings

The vermilion border incision minimized visible scarring and preserved the natural lip appearance.

The patient showed excellent aesthetic and functional outcomes one year post-surgery.

Manual compression of the labial artery achieved hemostasis without local anesthetic injections.

Abstract

A microform cleft lip is a mild form of incomplete cleft lip, often marked by small notches in the lip, a raised Cupid’s bow, and slight nasal asymmetry. Various surgical techniques, such as the rotation-advancement method and the small triangular flap method, are commonly used. However, incisions in the white lip tissue may lead to scarring or textural irregularities. This report presents the case of a 12-year-old boy with a right-sided microform cleft lip who underwent a surgical approach designed to optimize both aesthetics and function. The procedure employed an incision along the vermilion border, avoiding the white lip to preserve its natural appearance and minimize visible scarring. A triangular flap was created, and the discontinuity of the orbicularis oris muscle was corrected through overlapping and reinforcement. The intraoral incision was precisely aligned with the natural lip print, ensuring seamless integration with the surrounding tissue. Notably, the surgery was performed without local anesthetic injections, relying instead on manual compression of the labial artery for hemostasis. One year postoperatively, the patient exhibited excellent aesthetic and functional outcomes with minimal scarring. This technique underscores the importance of balancing aesthetics and function while minimizing surgical invasiveness in the management of microform cleft lip. Long-term follow-up has been planned to further assess the stability of these results.

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