Last year a flap was taken from my left wrist, with no problem.

I just underwent surgery to have SCC removed from upper back of mouth, this time flap was made from my right thigh.

A check up today shows this flap is no longer getting blood flow, dying? Of course, ENT wants me back in surgery right away, next Wednesday, to make another flap from my left thigh. Another major operation, worth it?

What if I elect not to have another graph/flap? What would be my consequences? ENT said I would have a hole in the back of my mouth, perhaps long time healing?

Has anyone any experience with flaps that didn't take? I still don't know my recurrence treatment yet and they want yet another surgery??

Any and all comments are welcome..........thank you....

Hi Barry,

I haven't got any answers for you as I've never had a flap, but it sounds like the flap is required for QOL issues. If they are planning further radiation then the flap issues would need to be resolved beforehand because tissues post radiation are much slower to heal.

I was wondering how you were doing and am sorry to hear that you now may have to face further surgery. Angelia and I are both starting our treatments on Monday. Please keep us posted with your progress and never forget that we will...KILL THIS CANCER!!

Sue

Hi Barry,

My husband's flap from his left thigh became necrotic 8 days after his initial surgery. The 2nd day we were home, his developed a fever, there was a putrid odor and his drains were sludgy. He was airlifted to the hospital where they debrided the flap hoping to save it. Two days later, they removed the necrotic flap and replaced it with a flap from his right thigh.

That was 2 years ago. The second flap worked out great. At first, it seemed too big but it has shrunk some and looks nice and pink. The surgeon said that flaps can have a 20% failure rate. My husband is also diabetic and that surely played a part.

Hang in there! Go for the redo. You can do it. All the best to you.

Anita

Anita,
Thanks for the informative feedback, I appreciate it......

Barry

I loathe all surgery and avoid it whenever possible. My knees, rotator cuff, shoulder etc were all candidates for surgery thru the years but since it was elective, I refused (just like the PEG). So for me to recommend that you go back in and get the flap redo is saying something. If, God forbid, my flap fails, then I definitely get it redone. BTW, I was also told I had the maximum radiation by more than one doctor only to have them change their mind and hit me with another week of radiation at 5GY a day bringing my total in the exact same area up to 97GY. The radiologists claim it's because the second round was CyberKnife which is more accurate than IMRT so they could calibrate it to enter at different angles. Good luck.
Charm

Again thanks,
Outside of this audiance there isn't many, that aren't doctors, who even know what a flap is....which is why most of us post our questions here.
I've found out more about flaps in a week than most have found in a lifetime............after all, for most of us on this site, this is our lifetime...........I believe I'm schedule to redo flap surgery on Wednesday, I'll still have 3 days ICU with follow up hospital stay...I'm hoping not much longer than a week...KILL THIS CANCER...

Barry

SO SAY WE ALL: KILL BARRY'S CANCER
Charm

Hi Barry, try the flap surgery again. i got one in jULY 2008. IT WAS ok, but it didn't end up being good. it didn't die, but it didn't close my hole. i had a new surgery in 1/2009. it was beatufiul. if you don't haver the surgery, they can get you an opterator. (sp). but you want to go for the surgery first. you don't want to live your life looking for the aparatus. try it again. don't be discuarged. please try.