Abstract: PURPOSE: To investigate the effectiveness of bilateral sliding red lip flaps for secondary lip deformities correction of bilateral cleft lip with postoperative vermilion tubercle defect. METHODS: Between March 2015 and May 2017, five patients with postoperative bilateral cleft lip vermilion tubercle defect were treated. There were 2 males and 3 females with a median age of 13 years old and an average age of 14 years old (ranged from 7 to 26 years old). Secondary lip deformities correction with bilateral sliding red lip flaps was done under general anesthesia. On the basis of red lip open incision, bilateral sliding red lip flaps were used to reconstruct the vermilion tubercle. At the same time, whistling lip deformity was eliminated. RESULTS: All incisions healed primarily. Good aesthetic results were obtained in all 5 cases with satisfactory vermilion tubercle appearance during 2-26 months of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Bilateral sliding red lip flaps can reconstruct vermilion tubercle defect, and it is worth of wide application.

Key words: Bilateral sliding red lip flaps, Vermilion tubercle defect, Whistling lip deformity