I am going to be with my brother for his neck surgery and was hoping to get some idea about the situation I'm going into so I can best help him. He has just completed 30 days of radiation with 2 chemotherapies and is pretty sick and can't talk right now. He is having a neck dissection and a radiation pellet implanted in the base of his tongue in February. I already know that during the 1st few days my contact with him will be limited due to the radiation levels. Will he be able to talk (at a whisper or normally)? Will the arm on the side of the dissection be imobile? I was thinking of getting him a disposable cell phone for him to communicate with me when I can't be in the room. I would appreciate any suggestions on what he might expect to happen to him in the hospital. What will his needs might be that I can assist him with?

Cori, I'm not sure I can answer some of the bigger questions you have there but before you get the cell phone you should check with the hospital to be sure cell phones work in the hospital rooms. The hospital I was in right after the end of my treatment has something internal they use that blocks cell phone frequencies except in certain outer hallways. I couldn't use my cell from my room. They did give you a regular phone line to call out on, though, for a few bucks a day.

Nelie

None of the three hospitals I have had recent experience with allow use of cell phones in the rooms -- they said they can interfer with certain monitoring equipment. However, all had in-room phones and these could be hooked up to the bed so that patients with limited mobility could use them. You should ask about this.

Gail

When I was in the hospital last year my famuly was surprised that they were allowed to use their cell phones every where. The only restriction was the use of the picture phone. Due to the new hippa laws, they banned the use of the camera built into most current phones. It was okay to talk, just no pictures.

As far as the use of your brothers arm. I had a neck dissection on the left side. I had some weakness in my left arm. Some of the strength came back, but I can still tell.

Good luck with everything. We'll be thinking about you and your brother.

John

Cori,

I had a radiation implant in my tongue after I finished the external beam treatments. (This was 16 years ago, so there may be some differences now.) As you are aware, there are strict limitations on visitors' (and nurses') time in the patient's room because of the radiation levels there -- my husband was only allowed in for about 5 or 10 minutes in a 24-hour period. My mouth felt a bit clumsy due to the "hardware" associated with the implanted tubes, but otherwise I was able to talk and sip on liquids.

The major problem I recall from that period was boredom because of the minimal amount of human contact. Try to check with the hospital about what he will be allowed to have with him (I suspect some of the other posters above are correct that a cell phone won't be permitted). I imagine that anything he can bring along to keep occupied and keep his mind off the "solitary confinement" would be welcome.

Cathy

My dad had a neck dissection and can move his arm-it is different than before the surgery though. Nothing drastic.

Cori,

There are several types of neck dissections. There is the radical which removes the SCM muscle, the jagular vein, the spinal accessories nerve and lymph nodes. Then there is the Modified radical which preserves the nerve and there are others where only the lymph nodes are removed.

What affects the movement of the shoulder or arm on the side of the dissection is weather the spinal accessory nerve is preserved, removed or damaged during the surgery.

My family member had a modified radical neck dissection where the nerve was saved. There is no damage or loss of movement to arm or shoulder on the side of the dissection. The hospital stay was two days and recovery time from the surgery was about 6 weeks.

Radiation and chemo however were done following the surgery.

Best wishes to you and your brother.

Cori,
As Vin has said, there are several different modifications to the radical neck dissection. The good news is that he should be able to use his arm fairly well just not play tennis for a while. If the accessory nerve is involved then he will have some trouble raising his arm sideways. With time and therapy even that will not be a serious problem.