Dr. Chintan GujarathiPlastic, Cosmetic & Reconstructive Surgeon

Cancer Reconstruction✦ in Pune

(Microvascular Free Flaps: ALT, Free Fibula & Autologous Breast)

Microvascular Free Tissue Transfer (ALT, DIEP Autologous Breast & Free Fibula Mandibular Reconstruction)

✦Clinical Overview & Approach✦

Surgical removal of head, neck, oral, or breast cancers often leaves complex structural and functional defects that significantly impact appearance, speech, chewing, swallowing, and quality of life. Modern reconstructive microsurgery allows plastic surgeons to transplant living tissue from one part of the body to another, restoring form and vital function.

Operated personally by Dr. Chintan Gujarathi (MCh Plastic Surgery, Tata Memorial Hospital Fellow) at accredited tertiary centers (Ruby Hall Clinic, Sassoon Rd & Manipal Hospital Kharadi), utilizing sub-millimeter precision, concealed micro-incisions, and advanced tissue-handling for natural, permanent outcomes.

Tata Memorial — Fellowship Trained

Premier oncoplastic training

Microvascular — Vessel Anastomosis

1–2 mm micro-vessel repair

Autologous — Living Tissue

Permanent biological restoration

15+ Years — Surgical Experience

MCh, DrNB Board Certified

Cancer Reconstructive Surgery (Free Flaps) clinical illustration
✦ Microsurgery & Reconstruction • Clinical Framework

Surgical Approaches & Precision Techniques✦

Anterolateral Thigh (ALT) Free Flap Reconstruction

Super-thin pliable skin and muscle flap for oral cavity, tongue, cheek, and neck defects.

Key Surgical Advantages:
✓Restores critical oral functions: speech articulation, mastication, and safe swallowing
✓Pliable, thin skin paddle adapts seamlessly to complex 3D intraoral contours
✓Minimal donor site morbidity with concealed scar on the upper thigh
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Best Suited For:Patients undergoing surgical resection for oral cavity, buccal mucosa, tongue, or pharyngeal cancer.
Anterolateral Thigh (ALT) Free Flap Reconstruction
✦CLINICAL ROADMAP • RECOVERY PHASES✦

Your Healing Journey & Recovery Timeline✦

A straightforward clinical timeline of what to expect and how your results mature week by week.

Days 1–3Phase 01

ICU Microvascular Monitoring & Perfusion Checks

Dedicated nurse and surgeon monitoring of flap color, capillary refill, and Doppler pulse at Ruby Hall Clinic or Manipal Hospital.

💡 Surgeon Guidance:

Maintaining optimal hydration, warmth, and blood pressure ensures strong microvascular flow across newly sutured vessels.

Days 5–7Phase 02

Ward Transfer & Early Ambulation

Transferred to regular room. Patients begin walking comfortably. Swelling peaks and starts resolving.

💡 Surgeon Guidance:

Follow the clinical speech and swallowing rehabilitation exercises diligently to regain oral motor control quickly.

Weeks 2–3Phase 03

Discharge Home & Oral Diet Progression

Sutures and drains are comfortably removed. Patients transition to soft oral diet and resume home routine.

💡 Surgeon Guidance:

Continue scar moisturization and keep donor sites clean. Prepare smoothly for any scheduled adjuvant therapies.

Months 2–6Phase 04

Long-Term Functional Rehabilitation & Symmetry

Flap tissue softens and integrates fully. Speech is clear, chewing is stable, and cosmetic symmetry is restored.

💡 Surgeon Guidance:

Regular follow-up visits ensure oncological safety and optimal long-term functional results.

✦POST-OPERATIVE CARE • PATIENT SAFEGUARDS✦

Recommended Best Practices & Precautions✦

Essential surgical safeguards and post-operative instructions recommended by Dr. Chintan Gujarathi to protect your incisions and ensure smooth recovery.

✓

Recommended Best Practices (Do's)

  • Keep the reconstructed area warm and avoid cold ambient drafts during early recovery.
  • Follow prescribed oral hygiene protocols, mouth rinses, and wound care diligently after every meal.
  • Maintain a high-protein, nutrient-rich diet to accelerate microvascular tissue integration and wound healing.
  • Perform daily jaw opening, tongue mobility, and neck stretching exercises as demonstrated by our physiotherapy team.
  • Attend scheduled weekly follow-ups with Dr. Gujarathi at Ruby Hall Clinic or Manipal Hospital Kharadi.
Verified clinical protocols • Dr. Chintan Gujarathi
✕

Precautions & Safeguards (Don'ts)

  • Do not wear tight collars, restrictive clothing, or tight ties around the neck that could compress jugular veins.
  • Do not smoke, chew tobacco, or consume alcohol, as nicotine causes vasospasm and threatens microvascular flap viability.
  • Do not sleep directly on the reconstructed side or put direct mechanical pressure on the flap.
  • Do not consume hard, crunchy, or spicy food until cleared by your speech-swallowing therapist.
  • Do not skip scheduled post-operative radiation or oncology consultations if recommended by your tumor board.
Important precautions to safeguard tissue microcirculation

Frequently Asked Questions✦

Essential clinical answers on surgical safety, scars, and recovery in Pune.

Microvascular free flap surgery is an advanced super-specialty procedure where living tissue (skin, fat, muscle, or bone) is transferred from a donor area of the body (such as the thigh, leg, or abdomen) to repair a defect created by cancer removal. Using high-magnification surgical operating microscopes and microscopic sutures finer than a strand of hair, Dr. Chintan Gujarathi connects the tiny blood vessels (1–2 mm in diameter) of the transplanted flap to blood vessels in the neck or chest, immediately restoring living circulation to the newly reconstructed tissue.

Schedule Your Consultation with Dr. Chintan Gujarathi

Available for personal clinical consultations and surgical assessment at premier accredited tertiary hospitals in Pune:

Sassoon Road CenterMap ↗
Ruby Hall Clinic

102, 1st Floor, Cancer Bldg, Sasoon Rd, Pune 411001

Kharadi CenterMap ↗
Manipal Hospital

22/2A, Mundwa -Kharadi Rd, nr Nyati Empire, Kharadi 411014

Call: 079774 29688Inquire Online →
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