Head and neck surgery is a multi-disciplinary specialty, made up of predominantly Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery (ENT) trained specialists, other surgeons trained in head and neck surgery include general surgeons, plastic surgeons and maxillo-facial surgeons.

Head and neck surgeons operate predominantly in the head and neck, but have to be able to operate on all parts of the body in order to gain tissue for reconstruction. This surgery is also known as microsurgery and involves harvesting bone, muscle and skin from distant parts of the body in order to reconstruct a defect in the head and neck.

Mark and Rajan are directors of Skin Institute, New Zealand’s largest multidisciplinary skin cancer and melanoma team, with 18 locations NZ wide. They have a extensive experience in managing all skin malignancies and perform CCPDMA surgery, which is recognised as the gold standard for skin cancer removal. At AHNS they provide management of advanced skin cancer and melanoma. This involvers removing skin cancer that has spread beyond the early stages. This may involve extensive surgery and reconstruction to skin and lymph nodes as well as removal deeper tissues such as parotid gland and skull.

Facial Plastic Surgery is a sub discipline of ORLHNS training and involves cosmetic and reconstructive surgery of the face. Although very common in the USA, more and more NZ ORLHNS surgeons are performing Facial Plastic Surgery. Both Mark and Rajan are fellowship trained in reconstructing the face and do so as the major part of their surgical practice.