Kathleen I have gone thru the jaw surgery (mandibulectomy). I wish I could tell you it was easy but it definitely was not. Hopefully your experience will be better than mine.

Yes, its a long surgery. The surgeons must join teeny tiny blood vessels to ensure it is a success. Often a plastic surgeon is a part of the surgical team. Down the road (after 1 year) the plastic surgeon can do adjustments to perfect appearances. Ive met several who have had a mandubulectomy and they have all had barely a noticeable scratch.

The 3 types of replacement jaw bones are using a piece the patients lower leg, a titanium plate, or a cadaver jaw bone. I had complications due to my body rejecting the titanium plate. This kept me in the hospital for 2 months. Its very rare a patient will go thru what I did. Most mandibulectomy patients stay only about a week in the hospital.

If you type in mandibulectomy in the search bar, you will find many posts about this subject.

Prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Good luck with everything!!!

Christine
SCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44
2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07
-65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr
Clear PET 1/08
4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I
surg 4/16/08 clr marg
215 HBO dives
3/09 teeth out, trismus
7/2/09 recur, Stg IV
8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy
3wks medicly inducd coma
2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit
PICC line IV antibx 8 mo
10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg
OC 3x in 3 years
very happy to be alive smile