Change in reimbursement and costs in German oncological head and neck surgery over the last decade: ablative tongue cancer surgery and reconstruction with split-thickness skin graft vs. microvascular radial forearm flap.

Surgeons find themselves daily in an area of conflict between economic interests and medical decision-making. Due to its multidimensional aspects, the choice of the reconstructive technique should be primarily based on the best medical care for the patient. But there should also be awareness of the economic risk of all three surgical procedures.