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#7315 03-27-2006 02:34 PM | Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 80 Senior Member (75+ posts) |  Senior Member (75+ posts)
Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 80 | Hal,
I would be interested to hear about the releasing of the tongue if you find anything out. Mine is a little different... The tumor was growing down the side of the tongue and up my gum line and also up the tonsilar pillar, so the grafted tissue now joins my tongue and gum together. I haven't asked whether or not it can ever be "severed" once the blood flow is completely established throughout or not.
It does give me a handy little pocket in which to store food....kind of like a hamster. :-D
Good luck with the implants. It sounds like others have had great success!!
Jennifer
Jennifer
Stage II (T2N0M0) SCC diag 4/21/05; partial glossectomy & selective neck dissection (good margins and lymyph nodes negative), jaw split, 1/3 of tongue removed, free flap from left forearm - 5/23/05; 42 years old at diagnosis
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#7316 03-27-2006 05:20 PM | Joined: Aug 2003 Posts: 1,627 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Aug 2003 Posts: 1,627 | Hal,
I also have an oral surgeon and prosthodontist that work together. They also know and are socially friendly with my ENT and the plastic surgeon that will repair my lip after my implants. I love it that they all know each other, gives it a comfortable feel for me.
My oral surgeon also told me about my tongue being tethered and that he could release it during the implant surgery. I am going to talk to him more about this, as I would really like to have it done. I hate it that I can't rub my tongue on my teeth. I also have to have what he called a "vestibule" or a gutter, created on the side where I had my surgery.
I'm so excited to get it all going. I'm off to do some more HBO next week.
SCC Left Mandible. Jaw replaced with bone from leg. Neck disection, 37 radiation treatments. Recurrence 8-28-07, stage 2, tongue. One third of tongue removed 10-4-07. 5-23-08 chemo started for tumor behind swallowing passage, Our good friend and much loved OCF member Minnie has been lost to the disease (RIP 10-29-08). We will all miss her greatly.
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#7317 03-28-2006 06:32 AM | Joined: Oct 2005 Posts: 11 Member | | Member
Joined: Oct 2005 Posts: 11 | Hello Friends,
Thanks for the info. As you know it would be great to have tongue mobility for better speech & food placement, maybe less burning, etc. I'm curious if tongue tethering is always a part of the free flap procedure. I have no trench in the front, but we're not making any changes in that area. Sure would be nice to hear from someone that's had their tongue untethered.
Hal | | |
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