By: Jain, Priyank Rai, Lina Priya, Lokesh, Sourabh , Lokesh Chandila, Sourabh Jain
Dog-bite injuries are a common cause of pediatric facial trauma and may result in complex soft-tissue defects. This report describes a three-year-old child with a full-thickness avulsion of the right upper lip associated with an anterior maxillary alveolar fracture following a dog bite. Surgical management included reconstruction using a lower-lip Abbé flap along with stabilization of the alveolar fracture using interdental wiring. Thorough wound debridement, irrigation, and appropriate antimicrobial and rabies prophylaxis were performed. The flap remained viable, and pedicle division was carried out on postoperative day 19. Healing was uneventful, with restoration of oral competence, normal feeding ability, satisfactory lip symmetry, and minimal vermilion mismatch. This case demonstrates that early reconstruction with an Abbé flap, combined with management of associated skeletal injury, is a feasible approach in such presentations. Further studies are required to evaluate long-term outcomes.
