OP  Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Aug 2013 Posts: 54 | Ok. Give me details about this surgery I am about to have. I will be having the forearm flap tongue reconstruction.....neck dissection on one side and a trach. What's the worst part. I just want to be prepared. My team said to expect 3 days in ICU. Yikes! Lights....tubes......machines.....pain.... I am really dreading this. How long before I can talk ? Swallow? Breathe through my mouth? Are you hungry when you have a feeding tube? How do you go to the bathroom when you are all hooked up? Any answers or advice is greatly appreciated.
48 yo female, quit smoking 4yrs ago, light drinker, Stage 2 SCC, Bx3, Dx 8/22/13, surgery 9/11/13. Partial glossectomy, bilateral neck dissection levels 1-4. Tongue reconstruction with flap from forearm. 87 Lymph nodes CLEAR. Tongue margins good at 1 cm. No further treatment planned. Monthly monitoring planned for upcoming year then periodic monitoring for next 4
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