[quote]I would still try to get another opinion from a CCC[/quote] Parovis is scheduled to have this done tomorrow...

The whole free flap thing is dependent on how much tongue needs to be removed and if a flap is proposed, then that implies a significant amount of tongue to be lost.

The procedure is quite complex -- Both my flaps were scheduled for ten hours in the OR -- Since this is not a simple thing, I infer that either a CCC or serious cancer facility is already involved -- This is not something a lone practitioner would do.

Here's what my 'radial forearm free flap' procedure involved:

The gas-passer had to put me out for the ten hours.

The naso-gastric tube had to be installed (not needed if PEG in place).

The tracheostomy had to be done.

The throat had to be opened for the neck dissection and anything removed prepared for the pathology lab.

The cancer had to be removed from the tongue and prepared for the pathology lab. The remaining tongue had to be prepped for fastening the flap to it and floor of mouth.

The free flap had to be harvested from the wrist donor site.

The flap's blood vessels had to be attached to the neck dissection blood vessels by surgeon with trusty hooded microscope -- Eight micro-sutures per vessel.

The flap had to be installed and fastened to remaining tongue and floor of mouth.

The skin graft had to be harvested from the thigh and the resulting wound covered with that nifty 'crumble as it heals' gizmo and sutured to stay put for a while.

The graft had to be installed and sutured to the wrist donor site and the drain(s) installed.

All the throat-cutting done by the Cutthroats had to be closed and sutured (literally hundreds of sutures and staples were involved) and the drains were installed (I think I had about five drains at first).