I am almost 7 years out and life is good - almost normal!I had three teeth extracted 4 months ago and healing has been a problem. My doc has suggested hyperbaric oxygen treatment but dentist who spoke with oral surgeon who works with oral cancer patients says the treatment will not help and we should wait a longer period of time or consider treatment with pentoxyphylline. I am concerned with bone death possibility. Looking for any advice or anyone treated with pentoxyphylline?

I've never heard of Trental being used for this, but it is an interesting idea. Here is a link to the manufacturer's web site for some more info. Please keep us in the loop if your doctors decide to go this route, it is kind of an off label idea for the drug, but in theory might offer some benefits. If they do it and it works, we would all like to know since this is such a common issue. http://www.sanofi-aventis.us/live/us/en/index.jsp

This is very interesting. Spending time in a hyperbaric chamber is a major "pain".
A plus is that Trental has been around for a long time. The use of the drug may need to be discontinued just before and after a procedure ?

Please keep us updated on this.

This is sort of old but still interesting
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1707692

M

My RO prescribed trental for me about 6 months after RT. He had me take it with vitamin E (800 IU twice daily). He said I had the worst reaction to RT he has seen with mouth ulcers, swelling and my healing time was off the charts. I also showed signs of ORN as my front teeth started to loosen. He had me on the trental/vitamin E treatment for about 1-1/2 years. Eventually my team of doctors convinced me to give HBOT a try, so I went for 45 treatments. I would say the trental did help me, but it was a slow process. The HBOT had a quicker impact, but spending a few hours per day in the HBO chamber is like Marcus said a �major pain�. I have not had any dental work, so I cannot give you any input from that perspective.

I have experienced both and my jaw is dead on both sides. I am not letting them take the dead bone even tho it is harder each day to even take liquid food as well as some of my concoctions. If the jaw goes, I have to have 2 major surgeries at the same time and then feeding tube and trac for life. Think I'll just leave my stomache where it is and live life for a few more years.

Thanks for the responses. Had appointment with oral surgeon yesterday and he still feels that HBO treatment would help healing the extraction sites. He believes I could achieve 70% healing in 6 months vs. doing nothing with the hope of 20% healing in 6 months plus raising the risk of bone exposure.The work with Pentoxifylline is being done at University of Maryland. I am trying to get a consult with them on the issue. Understand the treatment is 800mg of Pentoxifylline and 1000IU of Vitamin E daily. I will keep everyone informed on what I learn. I am interested in hearing about HBO treatments? How bad are they?

Len, HBO is the easiest thing Ive done in all of my treatments. I ended up doing 125 of them which is unusually high. I still may end up doing 20 or 40 more later this year. You may need to get tubes in your ears to help with the pressure. Basically you lay in a big glass cylinder for about 2 hours and sleep or watch tv.

Christine,
YOU may get to lie in a nice glass cylinder but the one they have at HUP looked like a giant oil tank left over from WW II and seated 8 people. You couldn't see out of it so if you are claustrophobic like I am, this is not going to be fun. I did not have HBO.

Len,
Make certain you check out what the equipment looks like before you agree to this. They are not all the nice chamber that Christine got.

Take care,
Eileen

I agree with Christine about what it's like. I had to have ear tubes put in but they didn't help and I only had a few treatments. But I could lay and watch TV in that tube , read or just listen to music. Good luck.

I'm claustophobic and I had HBO treatments for 6 weeks in a chamber with 6 or 7 other patients. There was a nurse in attendance during every treatment. We were able to play scrabble or watch TV. I agree it was a drag having to go 5 days per week, but if it's going to assist with healing it's well worth it.

Karen