Mr Rafal Niziol

Mr Raf Niziol is a consultant oral and maxillofacial surgeon with a specialist interest in head and neck cancer, microsurgical nerve repair, and complex facial reconstruction. He holds a consultant position at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust — one of the UK's leading high volume head and neck cancer centres — and runs a private practice at Cromwell Hospital, where he is a key member of the specialist Head and Neck Cancer team.

Raf performs over 100 free flap reconstructive procedures each year with a 98% success rate. His approach to cancer surgery is straightforward: your first chance is your best chance. Whether treating oral cancer, tongue cancer, or other head and neck cancers, the priority is always clear surgical margins, minimal scarring, and preserving as much function as possible.

That focus on scarring is not an afterthought. Over years of high-volume practice, Raf has developed and refined techniques that allow major cancer surgery to be carried out through smaller, better-hidden incisions — without ever compromising the removal of the cancer itself. His microparotidectomy approach treats parotid tumours through a fraction of the traditional incision. Many mandible and maxillary cancers can be removed entirely through the mouth, avoiding the external facial scars these operations have commonly required. And where a neck dissection is needed, he uses small, discreetly placed incisions that heal to be barely noticeable. For patients, this can mean life-changing surgery with little or no visible reminder of it.

He is also one of a small number of surgeons in the UK who routinely performs lingual nerve and inferior alveolar nerve repair. Patients who have developed numbness, pain, or altered sensation after wisdom tooth removal, dental implants, jaw surgery, or cancer treatment may benefit from his experience in this area. Raf uses advanced nerve graft technology, which means nerves do not need to be harvested from other parts of the body.

Beyond cancer and nerve repair, Raf treats the full range of oral and maxillofacial conditions — wisdom tooth problems (from routine to complex, high-risk cases), dental implants, salivary gland tumours and stones, jaw cysts, and oral dysplasia among them. He also sees patients for second opinion consultations, particularly where a diagnosis is complex, a treatment plan feels uncertain, or a previous procedure hasn't delivered the expected result.

After cancer treatment, recovery doesn't stop at discharge. Raf runs a dedicated Survivorship Clinic for patients who have completed treatment and want to address ongoing functional or cosmetic concerns — small procedures that can make a real difference to day-to-day life.

Raf qualified from St George's Hospital, University of London and King's College London, holding degrees in medicine, dentistry, and biomedical science. He completed the Advanced Head and Neck Surgery Fellowship at Guy's Hospital before taking up his consultant post. He has published in peer-reviewed journals and medical textbooks, presents at national and international conferences, and developed the Enhanced Recovery Pathway for head and neck cancer patients at Cromwell Hospital.

He has been treating patients for over 14 years. If you would like to book a consultation, contact the appointments team or submit an enquiry using the form below.