Principles and practice of reconstructive surgery for head and neck cancer

Reconstruction after surgical treatment of head and neck cancers can be challenging. Goals for reconstruction include restoration of appearance as well as function when appropriate. Commonly encountered sites requiring reconstruction include the soft tissues of the face (including the critical areas of the eyes, ears, nose, and lips), scalp, tongue and oral cavity, maxilla, mandible, and pharynx. Advanced reconstructive techniques using microsurgery may be preferable to simpler techniques to obtain optimal outcomes. In this article, techniques for reconstruction in these areas as well as anticipated outcomes are discussed.