OP  "OCF Down Under, Kiwi" "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Nov 2009 Posts: 644 Likes: 1 | Hi everyone
I'm now 10 months after surgery and have developed a small,hard, quite painful lump on my flap, near the tip. The join between the flap and old tongue (nearby) is also sore. I don't think it is worth seeing my GP so have rung the hospital to see if I can be seen before my next 3 monthly check up. The nurse was quite helpful so I'm looking forward to an appointment in the next week or two.
Meanwhile I'm very puzzled. The flap has no nerves in it. How can it be painful? I'm also slightly worried. I read somewhere that on rare occasions people have developed SCC in their flaps!
It's very difficult to find information on flaps on the internet. I found one abstract which mentioned the growth of nerves in an insensate flap ... Hmmm
1996, ovarian cancer surgery + cisplatin and taxol.
September, 2007, SCC of left lateral tongue. Excision.
October, 2009 recurrence in scar tissue, T1NOMO. Free flap surgery from left wrist - neck dissection. 63 year old New Zealander. No chemo, no RT.
February, 2014. New primary in left buccal mucosa. Marginal mandibulectomy, neck dissection, right arm free forearm flap. T1N0M0 but third occurrence and some areas of concern: RT started 8 April and finished 19 May.
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