Reconstruction of medial upper lip defect with Abbe flap

Background: Reconstruction of upper lip defect is challenging, because the upper lip is formed by two lateral nasolabial subunits and one philtrum subunit. The most effective reconstruction approach for upper lip deformities is still being debated. Purpose: To report a case of upper lip defect, and review the Abbe flap and Estlander flap methods for upper lip reconstruction. Case report: A 62 years old female subject with full thickness defect of two third of the upper lip, repaired by Abbe flap. Clinical question: What is the best surgical preference for upper lip defect reconstruction? Review method: A systematic literature search based on clinical questions, inclusion, and exclusion criteria in the PubMed, ProQuest, EBSCO databases, Scopus and hand searching using keywords. Result: No eligible studies were pertinent to answer the clinical question. Conclusion: Reconstruction options of upper lip defect were based on thickness, size and the defect in the structure involved. The Abbe flap can be used to reconstruct the full thickness medial upper lip, one-third up to two-thirds of the defect area. Lateral defects and commissure involvement can be repaired by Estlander flap.