Reconstruction after cancer removal

Removing a cancer may leave a wound, a scar, a hollow or a change in the shape of the affected area. Reconstructive surgery aims to restore healthy coverage, preserve function and achieve the best possible appearance. Every reconstruction is different — the plan depends on the location and extent of the removal, the surrounding tissue, any previous treatment, and your individual needs.

What it involves

Depending on the area being treated, reconstruction may involve a local flap, a skin graft, fat grafting, revision surgery, or a combination of techniques:

A local flap moves healthy skin and soft tissue from beside the wound, keeping it attached to its original blood supply — often the best match in colour and texture
A skin graft takes healthy skin from elsewhere on the body to cover a wound too large to close directly, or where a flap is not suitable
Fat grafting uses your own fat to restore volume, soften tethered scars and refine contour
Revision surgery improves the result of previous cancer surgery or reconstruction — scar revision, release of tight tissue, reshaping a previous flap, or removal of excess tissue

Who it may suit

Reconstruction may be performed at the time of the cancer removal, or as a later procedure once the pathology results are known and the area has healed. Where necessary we coordinate with your dermatologist, oncologist, cancer surgeon or other members of your treating team — cancer treatment and ongoing surveillance always take priority over cosmetic refinement. Planning the reconstruction means assessing:

The original cancer and the treatment received
Pathology results and surgical margins
Previous surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy
The wound, the scar and the surrounding tissue
Function of the affected area
Available donor tissue
General health and healing risk
Your concerns and expectations

Recovery

All reconstructive procedures produce scars. The final appearance depends on the original defect, the reconstructive method used, your skin type, any previous treatment and individual healing. Recovery varies according to the procedure performed, and the expected scars, wound care, dressings, activity restrictions, risks and follow-up are explained before treatment. Revision surgery can improve an existing result, but it cannot remove a scar completely or restore the area to exactly how it looked before cancer treatment.

This page is a general guide. Every procedure is planned individually — the details, risks and recovery relevant to you are discussed at consultation.

Common questions

What is a local flap, and where is it used?

A local flap uses healthy skin and soft tissue immediately next to the wound, carefully moved or rotated into the defect while staying connected to its original blood supply. Because the tissue comes from alongside the wound, it often gives a good match in colour and texture. Local flaps are commonly used on the nose, eyelids, ears, lips, face and scalp, and anywhere direct closure is not possible. The flap is designed around your own anatomy and natural skin creases, and more complex reconstructions may need more than one stage.

When is a skin graft used instead?

A skin graft may be recommended when the wound is too large to close directly, or when a local flap is not suitable. Healthy skin is taken from another part of the body and placed over the wound, where it must develop a new blood supply from the tissue beneath it. Careful dressings and protection from movement or pressure matter during early healing. A graft may differ slightly from the surrounding skin in colour, thickness, texture or contour.

What can fat grafting add after cancer treatment?

Fat is collected from another area by gentle liposuction, prepared, and transferred into the area needing correction. It can restore lost soft-tissue volume, improve hollows or contour depressions, soften tethered or indented scars, improve asymmetry, add padding over thin tissue, and refine a previous reconstruction. Some of the transferred fat is naturally absorbed, so more than one treatment may be needed. It is considered only when clinically appropriate, and after the cancer treatment, pathology results and follow-up requirements have been reviewed.

Can an old reconstruction be improved?

Often, yes. Previous cancer surgery or reconstruction may leave a visible scar, an uneven contour, tightness, asymmetry or distortion of a nearby structure such as an eyelid or a nostril. Revision may involve scar revision, releasing tight or tethered tissue, reshaping a previous flap, fat grafting, skin grafting, removing excess tissue, or a combination. It is worth being clear about the limit: revision improves a result, it does not erase a scar or return the area to how it was before.