Head and Neck Reconstructive Surgery

Head and neck reconstruction following surgical extirpative management of head and neck cancer requires critical assessment and meticulous correction of both aesthetic and functional deficits to optimize the physical and psychological well-being of the patient. Unique to head and neck cancers is the potential alteration of one's senses, breathing, speech, and swallowing functions, as well as overall head and neck aesthetics. When possible, tissue defects are replaced with similar tissues, though donor sites may be anatomically local, regional, or distant. The "reconstructive ladder" provides a heuristic approach to restoring the functional and aesthetic integrity of the head and neck cancer patient. Local tissue-rearrangement, grafts, flaps, and prosthetics are all options in the armamentarium of the reconstructive surgeon. The aim of this chapter is to familiarize the reader with the aims of reconstructive surgery, techniques employed to restore form and function as well as challenges and outcomes.