Carlos Juan Puig Gonzalez, Griselda Navarro Figueredo, Otto Alemán Miranda*, Diosvanis Terrero Reyes

Private Practice, USA

*Corresponding Author: Otto Alemán Miranda, Private Practice, USA.

Received: February 25, 2025; Published: March 07, 2025

Abstract

Introduction: This case presents a 32-year-old male soldier who suffered a gunshot wound to the lower third of the face, resulting in the loss of more than two-thirds of the lower lip. He received emergency care at the Armed Forces Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and was later referred due to facial deformity secondary to the injury. The surgical intervention aimed to restore both function and aesthetics of the labial and nasal regions.

Objective: The main goal of this case was to restore lip function, reduce microstomia and scar retraction, and improve facial symmetry, particularly in the lower lip and nose region.

Methods: The surgical intervention included an incision in the upper and lower lip region along the residual scar to remove fibrosis and adhesions. A bilateral perialar flap was used to advance the tissues and reconstruct the anterior hemilabial region, combined with a Z-plasty to reposition the philtrum of the neolabium, reduce tension, and improve nasal asymmetry.

Results: The surgery significantly improved lip functionality (speech, eating) and aesthetics by reducing microstomia, repositioning the deviated nasal ala, and enhancing facial symmetry. Despite post-surgical challenges inherent to tissue loss, the patient achieved satisfactory functional and aesthetic recovery.

Conclusion: The restoration of the facial region following a gunshot wound to the lower lip requires a comprehensive surgical approach addressing both functionality and aesthetics. The use of perialar flaps, Z-plasty, and scar release techniques proved effective for facial reconstruction in this case, improving the patient's quality of life.

Keywords: Facial Deformity; Gunshot Wound; Surgical; Rehabilitation

References

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Citation

Citation: Otto Alemán Miranda., et al. “Facial Deformity in the Lower Third Due to a Gunshot Wound: Surgical Approach and Rehabilitation".Acta Scientific Dental Sciences 9.4 (2025): 31-34.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2025 Otto Alemán Miranda., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.