Head and neck cancer reconstruction
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Our consultant plastic surgeons work as part of a multidisciplinary team with the Trust’s ear nose and throat (ENT) department, to provide reconstructive surgery at Charing Cross Hospital following treatment for head and neck cancers.
We have an international reputation and extensive experience in treating skull base cancers and are experts in both soft tissue and bone-based reconstructions. Surgery is often combined with high quality prosthetics provided by the maxillo-facial prosthetics department. Our 30 day mortality statistics are some of the best in the country and we have achieved 100 per cent free flap survival over two years.
Our consultant plastic surgeons, Mr Simon Wood and Mr Navid Jallali, carry out the full spectrum of reconstruction surgery and have extensive experience in free tissue transfers. They perform a high number of operations each year, seeing over 100 patients – with a very high success rate of over 99 per cent.
Conditions and treatments
Following some forms of cancer surgery, reconstructive surgery is needed to give patients the best possible chance of normal speech and swallowing, and to ensure the best cosmetic results. In the most complex cases we use CT planning and prepared models to plan every detail of bone and soft tissue reconstructions.
We have the ability to perform microsurgical free tissue transfers (implanting tissue taken from other areas of the body), which means we can deal with any defect requiring reconstruction, including intra-oral cancers such as tongue, floor of mouth, roof of mouth and upper jaw. As a tertiary referral centre we also deal with tumours that are inoperable in other units.
Despite operating on large numbers of patients, we have a proven track record in this kind of surgery with extremely low complication and readmission rates.
Clinics
Head and neck cancer reconstruction clinic at Charing Cross Hospital
Address
ENT clinic
First floor
South Wing
Charing Cross Hospital
Fulham Palace Road
London
W6 8RF
Hours
10.30 to 13.30, every Thursday, with some follow-up clinics on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Meet the team
Consultant head and neck surgeons
Mr Zaid Awad
Mr Jonathan Bernstein
Mr Peter Clarke
Mr Alasdair Mace
Consultant plastic and reconstructive microsurgeons
Mr Frank Henry
Mr Navid Jallali
Mr Simon Wood
Consultant clinical oncologists
Dr Dorothy Gujral
Dr Sarah Partridge
Consultant oral surgeons
Mr Josiah Eyeson
Ms Nicki Tanna
Restorative dentistry
Ms Ulpee Darbar
Head and neck prosthetist
Ms Sarah Jones
Macmillan clinical nurse specialists
Teresa Gascoyne
Catherine Lyons
Claire Nugent
Speech therapists
Louise Barrett
Lee Bolton
Margaret Coffey
Sinead Rothrie
Dietitians
Suzanne Evans
Kelly Wade-Mcbain
Patient information
Before your reconstructive surgery
Before a plan for reconstruction surgery can be finalised, you may need additional scans, for example, of your legs to find appropriate areas of bone or tissue for a graft or free tissue transfer.
In addition, you will be seen by a speech and language therapist, prosthetist and dietician to support you through your treatment, recovery and rehabilitation. You will also be introduced to one of our clinical nurse specialists who will be your 'key worker' and point of contact for support and help throughout your treatment.
Your reconstructive surgery
Your surgery will take place at Charing Cross Hospital and the operation is likely to take four to 12 hours, depending on the complexity of the surgery. After your operation you will be looked after on our joint plastic surgery and ENT ward, where you will be seen daily by your consultant and a diet will slowly be re-introduced. You can expect to be in hospital for one to three weeks following your operation.
After your reconstructive surgery
Follow-up treatment will be provided at the joint head and neck ENT clinic, or if more appropriate at one of our specific speciality clinics. Ongoing rehabilitation and support will also be provided by our speech and language therapists and dieticians as required.
Patient facilities/resources
As part of the Macmillan Cancer Support and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust partnership, we’ve introduced the Macmillan cancer navigators service. Macmillan navigators offer a single phone contact for all cancer patients. They can help with booking appointments, accessing local support services and finding answers to any questions. Please call the Macmillan navigators team with any questions you have about your cancer care.
Refer to this service
GP
Please use NHS e-Referrals to refer a patient to our head and neck cancer reconstruction service.
Two week wait referrals — click here to learn more.
Tertiary referrals
The plastic surgery team receive tertiary referrals for complex skin cancers and is also able to deal with complications of head and neck surgery such as facial palsy.
All plastic surgery referrals are processed through Charing Cross Hospital.
Please post referrals to:
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Charing Cross Hospital
Fulham Palace Road
London W6 8RF
For any enquiries regarding referrals, please call: 020 3311 1790.
Additional information
Education - elective placements
Our service accepts elective placements, please contact the medical electives department at imperial.Electives@nhs.net for more information.
