Facial and Jaw Reconstruction Services in Chicago and Northwest Indiana

As defined by the Oxford English Dictionary, reconstruction is the process of rebuilding after being destroyed or damaged. Head and neck conditions such as tumors – both benign and malignant, trauma, infection, congenital problems, and degenerative disease processes can result in defects that require reconstruction. Reconstructive surgery can vary from minor to major surgical procedures depending on the extent of the defect. Tissue used to reconstruct can be obtained regionally from areas such as the scalp, neck, or chest, or distantly from the back, upper, or lower extremity via vasucularized free flaps.  A vascularized free flap is essentially tissue borrowed from somewhere else in the body with its feeding vessels to reconstruct defects in the head and neck area. The vessels from the free flap are connected to vessels in the neck and thus maintaining the blood flow to this newly borrowed tissue.