Thanks Christine (I think),
Was your mandibulectomy combined with a free flap reconstruction? They do not plan on reconstruction. I imagine that is because I have had a free flap reconstruction there for my hemiglossectomy. The plastic surgeon-Dr. Garvey from M. D. Anderson thinks that would be too "heroic" and that the downside risks are too great and would leave me with an inability to open my mouth hardly at all. Have you come across anyone who has had a mandibulectomy such as mine without free flap reconstruction? What they want to do is to cut out only the dead bone and stop when the bone is healthy. It is being represented that this is to be to about the corner of the mouth, although they are not sure. I only have the OR for about 5 hours and that includes a left side selective dissection to get rid of the nodes in my left neck. That will be accompanied by intraoperative radiation treatment and two weeks later 23 radiation treatments measuring 46 gray. One year ago, I had 70 gray directed at the tumor and lymph nodes that were on the right
side. Thanks for your advice and I will update my history soon.