Is been a rough holiday for Dad, he started to bleed from the mouth christmas eve and spent the night in the hospital - they thought it was the tumor slughing off then went back a few days later and had emergency surgery to close off the external carotid artery and they cut his neck, found a huge absess, cleand it packed it and have had him sedated since until tomorrow when they will go back in to remove the packing and hope that all the bleeding has stopped. He also has a fissure from mouth to neck.. They do not want to put a flap it in fear it will not heal ; they are afraid if he is still bleeding and they have to tie off internal carotid he will have a stroke... They think the tumor, radiation and saliva may have deteriorated his arteries' Any hope?

Dawn,
it is hard to say. Did you mean fistula instead of fissure? If it's a fistula then the abcess is probably venting itself. Carotid artery involvement, and bleeding from it, would be a more serious complication. Many of us have some degree of arterial occlusion due to the radiation of the carotid. High enough amounts of radiation can damage it. Sometimes the restricted blood flow can be repaired with a shunt.

yes - fistula - I guess today they took some muscle out of his neck and stiched it around carotid artery to protect it from saliva that can come in from fistula .. but no bleeding so I guess today was the best case scenario for him... we will pray that he can come out of the sedation slowly and be able to communicate with us... I am trying to get a flight back to Boston from Portland.. to visit with him over the weekend...

Here's a pretty decent definition of a fistula.

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-fistulas.htm

I had a small one once when I had a tooth fracture get infected and a fistula formed near the root of the tooth through the gum to vent the infection. After a course of antibiotics, the fistula healed and I had the tooth extracted. Fistulas are often caused by infections.

I am so sorry to hear about your dad. Your family must be having it rough. I keep you all in my prayers. -Michelle

thank you - yes - it is awful to see him this way - he continues to "be alive" and keeps beating the hospitals palliative cares predictions.. I had a great visit with him last weekend for my parents 50th anniverasry - he was very aware and wanted to get out of the bed, etc... but then seems to slip back into a "sedative state" I was very upset for the hospital was not feeding him thru his tube and thougtht well they are just starving him to death so had them start feeding him - they now say they are afraid the feeding is causing more mucous in his trachea which I find difficult to understand .. but maybe I am just holding on to false hope...