Hi - I had my jaw removed last October due to O.R.N.. Would any of you be able to recommend a team/doctor/facility that would possibly be able to help to get/make me a new jaw. I still have my left fibia available for a bone graft(?)/transplant(?)/Flap. Thanks for any advice you can provide.

Airkitty,

The Medical University of South Carolina right there in Charleston is one of the top rated Ear Nose and Throat programs in the country, go there. The best advice is to in cancer/reconstruction is to get the best medical professionals available to you and that program is ranked #30 out of over 4000 programs nationwide.

I used to work at MUSC so I am well aware of their awards and accolades. My question stands.

Ive gone thru the mandibulectomy too. There are some top notch reconstruction surgeons in the Philadelphia area at some major cancer centers. I will check with Anita to see where Clark was treated. They did beautiful work on him!!!!

After going thru rads, healing from reconstructive surgeries can be a problem. My docs also insisted that I wait at least one full year before they did any adjustments. They said my body needed at least one full year to make certain the surgery 'took' and then they would be able to do further reconstructions. If you had yours done last Oct, then you are being very smart to seek out doctors for your reconstruction. The surgeries are usually quite simple with only staying in the hospital one or 2 nights. If I hadnt been so delicate after my original surgery, I would have been allowed to go home the same day. My docs were extra cautious with me due to my complications.

Good luck!!!!


PS.... Im missing a lower left jaw myself due to complications.

Airkitty,

Having had a mandilbectomy myself, with my left fibula no less, I'll tell you that it's a huge surgery and you don't want just anyone to do it. You're fortunate to have one of the top ENT programs in the country that you are familiar with in your backyard so I guess I'm confused as to why you would look any further. If you want a better program than you'll travel out of state, if you are OK with that than John Hopkins is in Baltimore I'd suggest there if you are not comfortable with MUSC.

Hi, Airkitty,

Clark had his mandibulectomy done at The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. An oral/maxillofacial surgeon and a plastic surgeon did the work. They used his left fibula and he had a beautiful outcome. If you PM me, I will give you the names and contact info for them. It is a huge surgery and I agree that you should feel confident in team you choose. Clark was in the hospital for 8 days. His team has done many of these procedures. My best to you as you make your decision.

Anita

UPMC in Pittsburgh is good at that. They just made a new jaw for a lady that had her jaw and some of her face blown off by a shotgun blast from her boyfriend. They did a great job. Thery were supposed to make me a new one too until a test revealed that the pice of bone they left is vewry bad from a Mersa infection that was hard for them to get rid of. The Dr said he would do it but it would only last a few short weeks and out it would have to come. I guess I live without a jaw and keep this droopy jaw. They had pics of the girl in the paper and a full article about what they did. Good luck airkitty.

Jim,

I'm a UPMC patient now. Who do you see there? They got me to a clear scan afted three other places said I was terminal. Obviously I love these folks. I have been to University of Michigan, Sloan Kettering, MD Anderson and Pitt and I found Pitt was the best prepared place of them all.

Seriously?.. Kelly that's awesome and crazy!