Establishment of a Three-Dimensional Finite Element Model and Mechanical Analysis of the Upper Lip Flap With Secondary Cleft Lip Deformity

Cleft lip secondary deformity is a common oral and maxillofacial deformity, usually accompanied by the upper lip and nasal cleft. The main treatment method for cleft lip secondary deformity is surgical repair. Among them, upper lip flap repair is a common method; the principle is to transplant the healthy tissue to the lesion site to achieve the purpose of repair. However, during the surgical process, each key point’s stress distribution and strain conditions are quite different. Therefore, special attention should be paid to the mechanical properties of each key point during the repair operation to ensure the surgical effect. This paper aims to establish a 3-dimensional finite element model and perform finite element analysis to simulate the mechanical properties and key point displacement of the upper lip flap repair operation for cleft lip secondary deformity to improve the operation’s success rate and safety.