Seamless collaboration between head and neck surgeons and plastic surgeons for QOL of the patients with head and neck cancer

Some issues concerning head and neck surgery, such as reconstruction after tumor resection, prevention of postoperative complications, swallowing function and voice rehabilitation after surgery, have been debated in recent years. However, borderless and seamless collaboration between head and neck surgeons and plastic surgeons has still not been completed. An invisible border may remain between us. We presented movies that explained how we cooperate in the management of patients with head and neck cancer. Our institute has some positive features in the management of patients. One of them is “We're a team of head and neck surgeons and a plastic surgeon”. Another is “Not only head and neck surgeons but also a plastic surgeon and radio-oncologists join the routine meetings on all cases before treatment”. The former system was set up in 1985 and the latter in 1995. Head and neck surgeons and the plastic surgeon now collaborate in the outpatient ward as well. We believe that such cooperative treatment for patients maintains the quality of management and helps improve their QOL throughout the treatment and outpatient follow-up.