I will be 6 weeks post surgery tomorrow for tongue cancer recurrence and a big free forearm flap. I checked my tongue out last night and found the flap covered in a strip of slough at the front. My wrist/donor site is also infected so I went to my GP and got her to check both things out. She was wary of the tongue, saying it looked as if the skin was breaking down - as if I've injured it ... She knew little about it. The plan is to watch it and contact the hospital (2 -3 hours away) if it gets worse.

I wasn't given many directions on how to protect the flap apart from Losec and care when tooth brushing ...
Has anyone any insight to offer on this? I thought the sloughy stage was well over.

oops
Just saw this post after I answered your other post. I never had any "sloughing" so it is very good that you have an appointment to get it looked at. Your concern is understandable and a 2-3 hour drive seems worth the peace of mind of having a plastic surgeon evaluate your tongue flap.
Good luck
Charm

Thank you so much. It's hard to find info about the progress of the flap - of course I'm not sure if the white patches are slough - a word I became acquainted with in hospital when a specialist nurse debrided the tongue. I didn't get to see it.

In the end - I needed a friend to encourage me - I rang the surgeon himself. An appointment should be pending. My hunch now is that it is not serious but because I'm in the dark I need someone knowledgeable to check it.

At least the swelling is going down and I can see a bit of my native tongue lurking to the side there looking very sorry for itself.

Hope the Christmas season is treating you well.
Cheers

Hope you get that appointment soon.
Even if you think it may not be serious you need to put your mind at ease.
Cheers back at you :-)
Gabriele

Flap was pronounced okay today. It is changing colour and texture as it acclimatizes itself in my mouth (7 weeks after surgery). My GP was a bit puzzled and concerned so the two hour trip to the city was worth it for the reassurance - and was also a great chance to finish some Xmas shopping ...

I was given written info to read about the early days of the flap - a guide to the progress of the flap as it settles in and the swelling subsides would have been good. It is still very swollen but I'm happy that it is doing its thing in its own time.

Great news ! Now you can have a Happy Holiday without worrying about the flap. In a way, I am glad my tongue was so swollen and immobile, I could not even see my flap the first two months.
With 7 weeks of growth, the odds are that your flap will do just fine.
Charm