Hi everyone...just found this board. I was treated at Stanford 2021. Had 2 consecutive surgeries. Fibula/mandible followed by a wrist/buccal after the latter's blood supply failed. I am now being told I need a 2cd mandible surgery but the native mandible has osteonecrosis and might not support another graft (apparent non union of graft with Then radiation. crews becoming detached, bone being reabsorbed into soft tissue, and a small abscess due to the hardware. I am struggling with decisions around this and wonder about a second opinion also. UCSF is close but I have no way of comparing. I have one friend who went to UCSF who loved her radiation/onc but not so much her surgeon. I have also looked at Mayo with all the logistical issues. Any input is appreciated. Thank you

Welcome to the OCF forums.

Sorry to hear about the ongoing complications from your radiation therapy and bone grafts not staying healthy!

There are likely a few folks on here that have experienced something similar, but it may be a bit before folks happen across your message.

You may want to check out the "Medications/Treatment/Procedures" forum and the "After Issues" forums and do a search for "bone graft after radiation" etc... if you have not already done so.

You may be able to find some folks who have had similar issues and direct message them for a quicker response than hoping they happen to see your into message in the intro forum.

I believe there is setting where you can be emailed whenever someone responds to a message, but I've yet to have any luck with it (I probably did not set that part up correctly on my OCF User settings or something).

Best wishes as you make decisions on how to proceed with the future graft salvage surgeries and seek advice.

Hi eb 123. Had my fibular flap surgery done at Methodist Dallas, Tx by Dr. David Kang just over 2 yrs ago. He does 1 to 3 of those per week, teaches other surgeons the technique. Give his office a call, maybe he can help. Did your surgeon put you on Pentoxifylline to maintain circulation?
Wishing you the best.

just had my 2nd jaw plate surgery. first one broke? this one feels the same. hasnt felt normal since before original surgery in Jan.

My dad had his two mandiblectomies surgeries at Boston's Mass Eye and Ear. The surgeons who did his work teach at Harvard Medical School. Highly recommend if you want a second opinion. Dad's first one had an antibiotic resistant infection in the hardware, and then they discovered his cancer came back when they removed the hardware and scraped all the gunk off the bone. So, he had scapular one the second time. Now, he has to have his hardware removed because it's coming through his skin, but apparently that happens when you beat cancer in the long run. I wish you luck and that you find success in your treatments and know that you're not alone.