PRASSA UK would like to welcome you to the inaugural talk of the PRASSA UK Webinar Teaching Programme. For this, we are humbled to be joined by Mr Ragbir as he imparts his wisdom, and provides us with an exciting overview of, head & neck surgery.

Mr Ragbir - Speaker Profile

Mr Ragbir is a consultant Plastic Surgeon at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary, where he specialises in head & neck and sarcoma reconstruction surgery.

He is the current president of the British Association of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons (BAPRAS) and also the lead clinician for the Bone & Soft Tissue Tumour Service for the North of England.

Mr Ragbir has had an influential role in Plastic Surgery education at a national and international level. His contribution to maintaining high training standards was recognised when he was chair of the Specialist Advisory Committee for UK plastic surgery in 2018 until 2021 and has been in charge of national selection for Plastic Surgical training in the UK, after having served 8 years as Training Programme Director for Plastic Surgery Training in the North East. He is a previous examiner for the Intercollegiate FRCS (Plast) between 2010 and 2022. He was awarded the PLASTA “UK Plastic Surgery Trainer of the Year” award in 2020.

Mr Ragbir has published over 60 peer reviewed publications in journals including in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (PRS) and Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (JPRAS). He’s been an editor for the Oxford Textbook of Plastic Surgery published in 2021 and has also written multiple book chapters. He’s been an invited speaker to international conferences all around the world giving keynote talks on his areas of expertise.

Learning Objectives

• Understand the aetiology and classification of the different types of oropharyngeal cancer (i.e. oral cavity, nasopharynx, oropharynx, larynx).
• Develop knowledge of the principles of flap surgery; including the advantages and disadvantages of local, regional and free flaps in head and neck surgery.
• Identify the free flaps utilised in head and neck reconstruction and indications for these.
• Understand the use, and principles of, microsurgery in head and neck reconstruction.
• Develop knowledge of the surgical anatomy and pathophysiology of craniosynostosis
• Develop knowledge of common phenotypic head shapes associated with craniosynostosis and develop an awareness of the appropriate management.
• Understand the basic anatomy, embryology and genetics of facial clefting and associated anomalies.
• Develop an awareness of the assessment, management and aftercare in primary cleft palate.
• Develop an awareness of secondary issues due to cleft palate including: alveolar defects, speech disorders, velopharyngeal incompetence and nasal septal deformities