CION Ameerpet
Medically reviewed by Dr. Muralidhar Muddusetty, Surgical Oncologist · Last reviewed June 2026.
After oral cancer surgery removes part of the tongue, cheek or jaw, free flap reconstruction rebuilds the mouth using your own healthy tissue. At CION Cancer Clinics, our surgical oncology team uses microvascular techniques so you can speak, chew and swallow again — with every plan reviewed by a tumour board.
When oral cancer surgery removes part of the tongue, cheek, floor of mouth or jaw, it can leave a gap that is too large to close on its own. Free flap reconstruction rebuilds that area using a piece of your own healthy tissue — skin, muscle or bone — taken from another part of the body, most often the forearm or lower leg.
The tissue is called a "free" flap because it is completely detached from its original site and then reconnected at the mouth. Under a microscope, the surgeon joins the flap's tiny blood vessels to vessels in the neck so the new tissue keeps its own blood supply. This microvascular step is what allows the reconstruction to heal and stay alive.
The goal is not only to fill the gap, but to restore how you speak, chew, swallow and look — so daily life after cancer surgery feels as close to normal as possible.
At CION, the 1-year survival for oral cancer is 80.0% compared with the national average of 71.6% (Δ +8.4 points). Early, team-planned surgery and reconstruction help patients return to eating and speaking sooner. *1-year survival. Source: ICMR / NCRP.
Reconstruction is part of cancer treatment, not an afterthought. At CION, the same multidisciplinary team that removes the tumour plans how to rebuild what is removed.
Surgical, medical and radiation oncologists plan your tumour removal and reconstruction together — so function and cure are balanced from the start.
Radial forearm flaps for the tongue and cheek, and fibula flaps for jaw reconstruction — selected to fit your defect and restore the most function.
Clear cost estimates are explained before surgery, with insurance cashless coordination and EMI options. No unnecessary tests.
Speech therapy, swallowing rehabilitation and nutrition support guide you through recovery after reconstruction — not just the operation.
We're never more than 30 minutes away. Same panel of specialists at every centre. Same tumour board reviews. Same NCCN protocols. Pick the closest one and call directly — or let us pick for you.
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Trained at AIIMS, Tata Memorial, and leading international centres. Combined 150+ years of experience. Every complex case is reviewed by 3+ of them — together.
MBBS(Gold Medal), DNB(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Gold Medal)
MBBS, MD(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Adyar,Chennai), ECMO, MRCP SCE(UK)
MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DrNB (Medical Oncology), ECMO, MRCP SCE (Medical Oncology) (UK)
MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery) (AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh)
MBBS, MS(General Surgery), M.Ch(Surgical Oncology), FMAS, FARIS(Ongoing)
MBBS, MS (General Surgery), DrNB (Surgical Oncology), FALS Oncology
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A 45-minute consultation with our surgical oncology team can explain whether a free flap is right for you — before any decision is made.
The flap is chosen to match what was removed — soft tissue for the tongue and cheek, bone for the jaw. Your surgeon explains which option fits your case.
Flap choice is individualised. The descriptions above are general and do not replace a consultation with your surgical oncologist.
Hear from patients who came to CION for oral cancer care and walked this journey with our team.
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Start Your Story. Book Free Consultation.Free flap reconstruction is a microsurgical technique that rebuilds the mouth after a tumour is removed. Healthy tissue — skin, muscle or bone — is taken from another part of the body, such as the forearm or lower leg, and its blood vessels are reconnected to vessels in the neck under a microscope. This restores the shape and function of the tongue, cheek or jaw so a patient can speak, chew and swallow again.
A free flap is usually needed when a large part of the tongue, floor of mouth, cheek or jaw is removed and the defect is too big to close directly. The tumour board reviews each case and recommends reconstruction when it will meaningfully improve speech, swallowing or appearance. Smaller defects may be closed without a flap. The decision is always made together with the patient before surgery.
Most patients stay in hospital for one to two weeks after free flap surgery, with close monitoring of the flap in the first few days. Eating, speech and swallowing improve gradually over several weeks with the help of speech and swallowing therapy. Full recovery, including return to normal diet, can take a few months and varies by the size of the reconstruction and each person's general health.
Yes. CION Cancer Clinics offers microvascular free flap reconstruction for oral cancer through its surgical oncology team across centres in Hyderabad and the wider CION network in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Every reconstruction plan is discussed by a tumour board, and costs are explained clearly before surgery. You can book a free first consultation at our oral cancer hospital in Hyderabad to discuss whether reconstruction is right for you.
As with any major surgery there are risks, including flap failure, bleeding, infection and donor-site healing problems. Careful microsurgical technique and close monitoring in the first days after surgery keep flap success rates high in experienced hands. Your surgical team will explain the specific risks for your case, what is done to reduce them, and the plan if a complication occurs. There are no guaranteed outcomes in cancer surgery.