The tissue deficiency in the upper lip after cleft lip repair produces a tight lip, and an Abbe flap procedure is indicated. In order to increase the mobility of the pedicle and decrease the distortion of the lips at transfer, a procedure has been developed in which the pedicle is cut all around soft tissue leaving only a inferior labial artery. Therefore, the Abbe flap which is an arterial flap has been converted to an island flap. The authors performed 15 cases(14 men and 1 woman) of the correction of a tight lip in cleft lip deformities between 1986 and 2000. The patient ranged in age from 18 years to 33 years at the time of surgery, with a mean age of 24.4 years. From 1 to 14 years(mean, 9.7 years) postoperatively, the patients were evaluated by the photogrammetric analysis using preoperative and postoperative photograph, and the ordinary scale method. By the photogrammetric analysis, the upper vermilion contour index and the lip protrusion index were measured. The upper vermilion contour index is the percentage of the surface distance of the upper vermilion ridge to the mouth width. The lip protrusion index is the percentage of the labiale superius-tragion to the labiale inferius-tragion. One represented the correction of the horizontal deficiency in the upper lip, and the other showed the protrusion of the upper lip in relation th the lower lip. By the ordinary scale method, "excellent" aesthetic results were noted. In conclusion, the Abbe island flap provides maximal flexibility without reducing its viability and an accurate adaptation in the defect of the upper lip can be made. The upper vermilion contour index and the lip protrusion index represent objectively the effects of the Abbe island flap.
Arteries ; Cleft Lip* ; Congenital Abnormalities* ; Humans ; Lip ; Male ; Mouth ; Pliability