Various demands of reconstruction define restoration technique. The basic principle involves optimal anatomical and functional reconstruction with concurrent minimal donor-site morbidity. Dependent on the aetiology of the defect, there are various reconstructive possibilities available for obtaining an optimal result. An immediate single stage reconstruction, with the best possible result for the individual patient as the primary consideration, can be carried out by interdisciplinary teams. In this overview, the most common indications and principles of flap choice are presented in relation to the reconstructive requirements necessary for early rehabilitation of the patient or the earlier start of necessary adjuvant therapy.