Surgery is often a part of treatment for head and neck cancers. It may be used either as a first line of treatment or as a salvage option when other treatments have been unsuccessful at fully eliminating the cancer. In general, head and neck surgeries can be grouped into two categories: ablative and reconstructive. Ablative surgery involves removing the primary tumor, along with any suspicious lymph nodes or other structures. Reconstructive surgery involves repairing the wound, or defect, that was created by an ablative surgery.
