Conservative Management of Lip Avulsion with Hydrocolloid Dressings in Three Cases

Summary

The protocol evaluates the efficacy of hydrocolloid dressing application in treating traumatic partial-thickness lip avulsion.

Abstract

Lip avulsion is a common orofacial trauma that poses challenges due to its aesthetic and functional implications. This retrospective case series evaluated the outcomes of three patients with partial-thickness traumatic lip avulsion managed using different wound healing approaches. Two patients underwent conservative treatment (secondary intention healing), including daily wound cleansing and application of hydrocolloid dressings. The hydrocolloid dressings could maintain a moist wound environment that promoted granulation formation and epithelialization while reducing infection risk. Both conservatively managed patients achieved favorable cosmetic and functional outcomes. The third patient initially underwent immediate wound suturing (primary intention healing), followed by wound dehiscence, necessitating subsequent conservative management. This patient developed noticeable scar contracture and distortion of the vermilion border. Our findings suggest that clinicians should carefully evaluate wound characteristics, contamination risks, and patient-specific factors when determining the initial management approach. Besides, conservative management with hydrocolloid dressings represents an effective, convenient, and practical therapeutic option for treating traumatic partial-thickness lip avulsion injuries.

Introduction

Lip vermilion injuries involving perioral regions are frequently encountered in clinical practice, often resulting in aesthetic deformities and functional impairments, underscoring the importance of appropriate clinical management. Anatomically, the lips consist of three layers from internal to external: mucosa, orbicularis oris muscle, and skin. The ideal management for lip injury includes restoration of both aesthetic appearance and functional integrity^1,2.

Lip avulsion injuries, characterized by partial or complete detachment of lip tissue, pose particularly complex clinical chal....

Protocol

All 3 patients were managed at the Department of Cleft Lip and Palate, West China Hospital of Stomatology. All patients provided informed consent for the disclosure and publication of their treatment procedures and photographs. The protocol was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board of West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University (No. WCHSIRB-D-2016-084R1).

1. Initial evaluation of lip injuries ⁷

NOTE: Conservative treatment strategies were employed, consisting primarily of meticulous wound irrigation and daily application of hydrocolloid dressings.

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Results

Clinical presentation 1

After a 7-day course of daily wound cleansing, dressing changes, and antibiotic application, no signs of infection were observed (Figure 1). Therefore, wound management continued with saline irrigation followed by application of hydrocolloid dressing. At 17 days post-injury, the wound exhibited a marked reduction in size (Figure 1

Discussion

Lip wounds are among the most prevalent orofacial injuries, frequently leading to significant cosmetic disfigurement and functional impairment. Unlike tissue defects resulting from congenital conditions (e.g., cleft lip) or surgical resections, traumatic defects are typically irregular and contaminated⁸. The macerated, uneven edges predispose wounds to infection and pose considerable challenges for primary surgical realignment⁹. In particular, large lip avulsion injuries in.......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
500 mL bag 0.9% NaCl solution	Kelun Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.		Wound irrigation
Cotton swab	Chengdu Mingsen Medical Device Co., Ltd
Diposable dressing tray	Xinxiang Huaxi Sanitary Materials Co., Ltd.	PAC015
Hydrocolloid dressing	Shanghai NewValue Medical Products Co., Ltd	6921	Provide moist wound healing
Medical absorbent gause swab	Xinxiang Huaxi Sanitary Materials Co., Ltd.	GAU001
Surgical tape	Zibo Qichuang Medical Products Co., Ltd.	W125