Expert Skull Base Reconstructive Plastic Surgery in London

Overview

Reconstructive plastic surgery

At Skull Base Specialists, reconstructive plastic surgery is considered for every patient from the very start of their journey. Whenever surgery involves the head, face, nose or ear, we think carefully about how to protect both function and appearance. Reconstruction is not something we “add on” at the end; it is built into the operation from the beginning, ensuring our patients are comfortable with their appearance after having their surgeries or procedures.

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About reconstructive plastic surgery

Some patients come to us after surgery performed elsewhere, feeling unhappy with how they have been left or struggling with changes to their appearance or facial function. Not all surgeons have the training, experience or specialist support to plan reconstruction at the same time as skull base surgery.

At Skull Base Specialists, this integrated approach is standard. Our reconstructive plastic surgeon works hand-in-hand with the team to correct complex defects and help patients feel like themselves again.

Why might reconstructive surgery be needed?

Surgery for skull base conditions can involve removing bone, soft tissue or parts of the sinuses, nose, ear or face. This can leave a defect that needs to be rebuilt to restore appearance, protect the brain, support normal breathing or swallowing or prevent long-term complications.

These are examples of the kinds of reconstructive surgery that the team carry out as standard:

Anterior skull base reconstruction – rebuilding the thin bone and soft tissue between the brain and the nose
Lateral skull base / temporal bone reconstructions – restoring the area around the ear and side of the skull
Parotid and deep neck tumour resections – repairing contour changes in the face or neck
Orbital decompression or tumour removal – supporting the eye socket and surrounding tissues
Sinonasal and midface tumour resections – reconstructing the nose, sinuses or midface to restore appearance and function
Clival and craniovertebral junction resections – rebuilding deep skull base structures to protect the brain and spinal cord

What techniques are used in reconstructive plastic surgery?

Our team uses a range of advanced reconstructive techniques to repair complex defects and restore natural appearance. These include:

Radial forearm free flap – thin, flexible tissue from the forearm used to rebuild delicate areas inside the nose or mouth
Anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap – soft tissue from the thigh used to fill larger defects or restore facial contour
Fibula flap – bone from the lower leg used for craniofacial reconstruction when bone needs to be replaced
Local rotational flaps – nearby skin and tissue moved into position to repair smaller defects with a natural match
Nasoseptal flap – a local rotational flap from within the nose
Osteoplastic flap – a local rotational flap from the scalp

Why is reconstructive plastic surgery so important?

Skull base surgery can be challenging and a difficult or scary time for patients. As such we think it’s critical that patients look and feel like themselves again after treatment. Without careful reconstruction, patients may be left with avoidable changes to their appearance, difficulties with breathing or swallowing or long-term discomfort. Planning reconstruction at the same time as tumour removal or skull base repair is usually possible for most patients and is our preferred route where possible.