<unk> s are used to reconstruct tissue defects. Particularly when postoperative radiotherapy is indicated, vascularized<unk>  tissue is preferred over non-vascularized<unk>  tissue. Breast reconstruction: *Aesthetic (cosmetic) reconstruction: Most commonly creating a breast after a mastectomy. This may happen at the time of mastectomy or at a later date.<unk> s are usually only done if a TRAM flap is not possible. Plastic surgeons usually perform these surgeries. Patients with Bell's palsy can have their face re-animated using "free functioning muscle flaps". Hand reconstruction: *Reconstruction of paralyzed face or hand using functioning<unk>  muscle flaps. Head and Neck reconstruction: When reconstructing complex head and neck defects, the reconstruction often requires bone and soft tissue from a distant donor site to be harvested. Functional reconstruction in the head and neck area often requires reconstruction of the oral cavity, the jawbone and the dental occlusion. Type of defects include: *Reconstruction of post-traumatic defects: Some areas of the body has missing tissue either from a trauma or from some existing wound. This may include areas on the leg where bone is exposed or any other area on the body that needs soft tissue coverage. *Reconstruction of a defect following removal of a tumor in the mouth or elsewhere: Soft tissue resection requires soft tissue reconstruction. Composite (soft tissue and hard tissue) resection requires composite reconstruction. Soft tissue flaps include the radial forearm<unk>  and the ALT (anterolateral thigh)<unk>  amongst others. Composite<unk> s include the fibular<unk> , the DCIA<unk> , the scapular<unk>  and the composite radial<unk>  amongst others. When the cancer resection involves a part of the lower jaw, depending on the patients age and the patients co-morbidities one composite<unk>  will be preferred over the others for reconstruction of the defect. *Reconstruction of esophageal (food-pipe) continuity using segments of intestine
Free flap
DIEP flap
Gundersen flap
Walking-stalk skin flap
Eloesser flap
Phemister graft
Perforator flaps
Rotation flap