Rebuilding the Jaw With Leg - How can a bone from the leg become a new jaw—and restore a patient’s ability to speak and chew?

When cancer invades part of the jaw, surgeons can rebuild it using bone from the patient's own leg. First, the cancerous section of the jaw is removed to help prevent the disease from spreading. However, this leaves a large gap where the jaw bone once was. To rebuild it, surgeons turn to an unexpected place, the leg. They carefully remove a section of the fibula, the thin bone beside the shin, along with its blood vessels. The bone is then cut and shaped to recreate the missing section of the jaw. Tiny plates and screws secure the pieces in place. Under a microscope, surgeons connect the fibula's blood vessels to vessels in the neck, restoring blood flow to the transplanted bone. Over time, it heals into a strong new jaw, helping restore the patient's facial shape, speech, and chewing ability. While the bone in the leg gradually regenerates itself.