Hi, Christine!

Just an FYI: trismus can develop--and does, in a majority of cases--in anybody who's had a muscle cut or their jaw unhinged/muscle stretched during a transoral approach surgery. It's a different process than with radiation, where the muscle tissue is replaced by collagen. In the surgery-related trismus, the jaw muscle is injured and tightens up (just as any muscle does) in an attempt to prevent further injury.

The main difference seems to be that surgery-related trismus is more amenable to treatment than the radiation-related. This is due to the muscle still being intact.

Nonetheless, it sucks. wink

--Jo

Polymorphic Low-Grade Adenocarcinoma (PLGA), dx'ed 9/10. Surgery 10/20/10--resection of soft palate and right hard palate. Of the 36,000 oral cancers dignosed in a year, I get the one that sounds like a golf tournament. Sheesh.