Removing a mouth cancer safely is only half the goal. The other half is restoring the mouth so the patient can eat, swallow, speak and look themselves again. This is what reconstruction does. At THANC Hospital in Chennai, Dr. Vidhyadharan Sivakumar combines cancer removal with reconstruction in the same operation, using the patient's own tissue to rebuild the tongue, cheek, gum, floor of mouth or jaw. This page is part of our wider oral cancer care.
Why Reconstruction Matters
To cure an oral cancer, the surgeon removes it with a margin of healthy tissue around it. For larger cancers, this can leave a real gap in the mouth. The mouth is a working organ. Without reconstruction, a defect can affect chewing, swallowing, speech and appearance. Reconstruction fills the gap with living tissue, so function and quality of life are protected after treatment.
Dr. Vidhyadharan's training in reconstructive microsurgery means cancer removal and rebuilding are planned together, as one treatment.
Types of Reconstruction
The right method depends on the size and site of the defect.
Free Flap Reconstruction
For larger defects, a free flap gives the best result. A piece of the patient's own tissue, with its blood vessels, is taken from the forearm, thigh or lower leg and moved to the mouth. The blood vessels are joined under a microscope, so the tissue stays alive in its new place. Free flaps can rebuild the tongue, the lining of the mouth, or the jawbone. We explain the technique in our guide to free flap surgery.
Local Flaps and Grafts
For smaller defects, nearby tissue or a graft may be enough to close the gap and restore the surface.
Jaw Reconstruction
When part of the jawbone is removed, it can be rebuilt with bone, often from the lower leg, to restore the shape of the jaw and support the teeth and the face.
Restoring Function
Reconstruction is judged by how well the mouth works afterwards, not just how it looks. The aim is to restore:
- Eating and swallowing, so the patient can return to a normal or near-normal diet
- Speech, by rebuilding the tongue and mouth lining to allow clear sounds
- Appearance, by restoring the shape of the jaw, cheek and lips
Speech and swallowing therapy during recovery helps patients regain function. Our guide on life after head and neck cancer covers what to expect.
Which Cancers Need Reconstruction
Not every oral cancer needs reconstruction. Small cancers can often be removed and the area closed directly, with little effect on function. Reconstruction becomes important when a larger area is removed, such as a big part of the tongue, the floor of the mouth, the cheek lining, or part of the jaw. Cancers in the gum and jaw or behind the back teeth often involve bone, so they may need bone reconstruction to restore the jaw. Dr. Vidhyadharan plans the reconstruction at the same time as the cancer removal, so the rebuild is matched exactly to what is removed.
What to Expect
Planning. Cancer removal and reconstruction are planned together. Dr. Vidhyadharan explains which tissue will be used, where the donor scar will be, and the expected result for eating, speech and appearance.
Surgery. Removal and free flap reconstruction are usually done in one operation, which takes several hours. Working as a single team on both the cancer and the rebuild avoids a second operation.
Hospital stay. Usually one to two weeks, to monitor the flap closely and begin rehabilitation.
Recovery and Rehabilitation
Recovery continues over the following weeks and months. In the early days, the flap is checked frequently to make sure its blood supply is healthy. Eating often starts through a temporary feeding tube and moves to a soft diet, then a normal diet, as healing allows.
Speech and swallowing therapy is a central part of recovery. It begins during the hospital stay and continues after discharge, helping patients relearn how to move the rebuilt tongue and mouth for clear speech and safe swallowing. Most patients steadily regain eating and speech, supported by the team. Recovery takes patience, but the goal is a return to normal daily life, including eating in company and speaking clearly.
Donor Sites and Scars
The tissue for a free flap is taken from a part of the body where it can be spared, most often the forearm, the thigh, or the lower leg when bone is needed. There is a scar at the donor site, which is planned to be as discreet as possible and usually heals well. The trade is a small scar elsewhere in exchange for a mouth that works, which most patients feel is well worth it.
Why Choose Dr. Vidhyadharan at THANC Hospital
- Head and neck surgical oncology training. MCh (Head & Neck Surgery) and European Board certification (FEB-ORL HNS).
- Reconstructive microsurgery training, including free flap reconstruction.
- One-stage cancer removal and reconstruction, planned as a single treatment.
- 3000+ head and neck operations, the volume linked to better outcomes.
- A full team for surgery, reconstruction, speech and swallowing therapy.
Treatment Cost and Insurance
The cost depends on the type of reconstruction, the length of stay and any further treatment. Most major health insurers in India cover cancer treatment, including cashless treatment at empanelled hospitals. Eligible patients may also use government schemes such as Ayushman Bharat (AB-PMJAY) or the Tamil Nadu CMCHIS.
THANC Hospital gives a clear, itemised estimate during your consultation. To see Dr. Vidhyadharan Sivakumar, request an appointment online.
