One-stage Transfer Of Inferior Labial Flap To Repair Superior Labial Defect

Anatomic Study of Inferior Labial VesselsThe inferior labial vessels on 17 cases of cadaver were investigated with the radiography, corrosion cast and histological method. The inferior labial artery and inferior sublabial artery are the main branches from the facial artery to the inferior lip. Their presence rates are 55.6% and 32. 5 %respectively. The inferior sublabial artery emerges only on one side but plays an important role in the blood supply of inferior lip. The terminal branches of inferior sublabial artery on the border of inferior lip to the commissures take the same course as the inferior labial artery. They travel between the labial mucosa and auscle through the whole inferior lip edge, and may substitute for the absent inferior labial artery. Therefore, on the border of inferior Up, there is a constant axial artery which is named inferior labial coronary artery.It is divided into 4 types:(1)the anastomosed bilateral inferior labial arteries, (2) the unilateral labial artery which goes to the contralateral commissure in order to compensate for absent labial artery on contralateral side,(3) the terminal branches of sublabial artery, (4) both of the inferior labial artery and the terminal branches of inferior sublabial artery. A large number of tiny branches from the inferior labial coronary artery constitute the special dense arterial clump in the inferior lip. The small anonymous branches from the facial artery in the inferior lip anastomose with the contralateral compensatory labial artery or the terminal branch of sublabial artery in the commissure and partly take the place of the labial artery in the case of inferior labial artery absence.This report also deals with the distributive layer of inferior labial veins and some probleas on the clinical application of inferior labial flap.