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Joined: Jul 2011
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WarrenW Offline OP
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I couldn't find anything about this while searching. One side of the bilateral ND I had is very sort of puffy. I think it was stapled unevenly, which resulted in one section sort of bulging out. None of the nurses or doctors seem concerned about it. I'm curious if anyone else had this issue. I just don't have much loose skin to help sort of hide it!

Here's a picture. This is 8 days post op. Staples removed yesterday:

8 days post op


Age 35
non-smoker, non-drinker
7/1/11 - Diagnosed with SCC @ BOT, stage 1, lingual tonsil & cyst removed
8/9/11 - Corrected diagnosis of MEC @ BOT
8/17/11 - TORS to remove lesion
9/2/11 - Bilateral neck dissection. All nodes clear! Done!
12/13/11 - PET/CT scan clear
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Mine was puffy for about a month. ENT said it was normal. Don't stress it.


Dx: 3/11 Stage III glottic laryngeal SCC HPV 16+ Tx Start: 7/18/11 chemoradiation 7wks - Tomotherapy IMRT x 34 / Cisplatin x 7 Tx End:9/1/11]-[as of 1/20/12 - ALL CLEAR!]


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Part of mine looked just like that. It lays flat now.


Tracy - 33 at diagnosis
SCC right ventral tongue Dx 4/11.
T1N2M0
1st resection 5/11.
Bilateral neck dissection: 2 pos nodes
2nd resection w/graft 6/11.
Erbitux x 11 completed 9/11. IMRT x 30 completed 8/11.
3 month MRI and PET/CT all clear.
6, 9, 12 and 24 month post treatment MRIs all clear.
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Same here mine was like. A few months later you can't see the scar it blends in with the crease.

Take care,
Connie


SCC. of the left lateral tongue, anterior two thirds, T1 possibly a T2.
Left partial glossectomy, left selective neck dissection 4/21/09. Nodes clean, No Rad, No Chemo.

CT Scan 9/11 clean, CT Scan 9/12 clean


Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, FL. A+.

My hometown Lockport, NY.



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Mine looked way worse than that. It will lay down over a period of time. Actually mine puffed up even larger as the lymph fluids built up around it. It took many months to go flat. There are pictures of mine this page http://oralcancerfoundation.org/about/brianhill.htm


Brian, stage 4 oral cancer survivor. OCF Founder and Director. The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.
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WarrenW Offline OP
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Phew. Thanks for the reassurance. The scar I think I can live with but the odd shaping is pretty shocking.


Age 35
non-smoker, non-drinker
7/1/11 - Diagnosed with SCC @ BOT, stage 1, lingual tonsil & cyst removed
8/9/11 - Corrected diagnosis of MEC @ BOT
8/17/11 - TORS to remove lesion
9/2/11 - Bilateral neck dissection. All nodes clear! Done!
12/13/11 - PET/CT scan clear
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 287
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When my dad had Selective Neck Dissection in 2009, I was also worried about puffiness but it went off soon and in all these years the scar is not very prominent.

My Dad's scar

Now he had a Radical neck dissection. Hope it gets healed the same way.


Father; 67 yrs; RIP: 2012/05/26

TX:SCC pT2N1M0G2;Glossectomy+SND+CCRT(59.3Gy+6xCis.)[2009]
TX:Nodal Mets; 3xDCF[2011/05/05]
TX: RND + PMMC Flap[2011/07/11]
DX:SCC PNI+ECE
TX:Re-RT 60Gy[2011/09/21]
TX:Gefitinib 250mg[2011/12/18]
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"OCF Canuck"
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The swelling could also be a little build up of lymphatic fluid... smile


Cheryl : Irritation - 2004 BX: 6/2008 : Inflam. BX: 12/10, DX: 12/10 : SCC - LS tongue well dif. T2N1M0. 2/11 hemigloss + recon. : PND - 40 nodes - 39 clear. 3/11 - 5/11 IMRT 33 + cis x2, PEG 3/28/11 - 5/19/11 3 head, 2 chest scans - clear(fingers crossed) HPV-, No smoke, drink, or drugs, Vegan
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WarrenW Offline OP
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I'm pretty sure it's not lymphatic fluid. It was like this immediately after the surgery. Now that the staples are gone, it's a little less zipper like, but still very uneven.

Aside from the tightness, which I was expecting, I had no idea it would be this tingly. The nerves are going crazy. I know that's a good sign that the nerves are healing, but it is highly uncomfortable. It's almost like a weird combination of almost being itchy, tickling, and tingling. Makes it tough to sleep.


Age 35
non-smoker, non-drinker
7/1/11 - Diagnosed with SCC @ BOT, stage 1, lingual tonsil & cyst removed
8/9/11 - Corrected diagnosis of MEC @ BOT
8/17/11 - TORS to remove lesion
9/2/11 - Bilateral neck dissection. All nodes clear! Done!
12/13/11 - PET/CT scan clear
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 5,260
Likes: 3
"OCF Canuck"
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Been there - try a little massage. Also I didn't realize it was post op that my just be normal swelling, everything rushes in to help heal. A normal process. Though at some point you may have an issue with lymphatic drainage - though since your incisions are small it may not be as much of an issue! smile good luck!


Cheryl : Irritation - 2004 BX: 6/2008 : Inflam. BX: 12/10, DX: 12/10 : SCC - LS tongue well dif. T2N1M0. 2/11 hemigloss + recon. : PND - 40 nodes - 39 clear. 3/11 - 5/11 IMRT 33 + cis x2, PEG 3/28/11 - 5/19/11 3 head, 2 chest scans - clear(fingers crossed) HPV-, No smoke, drink, or drugs, Vegan
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