I was just wondering - my husband is scheduled to have the modified neck dissection this week. After the procedure is done, will the surgeon be able to make any new prognosis from what was done, or will he be unable to without running further tests or sending the tissue/lymph nodes to the pathologist for analysis first. In other words...will he be able to tell me anything more after the surgery, or not really at this point? Just wondering, because I am nervous enough as it is with the surgery in itself - and I don't think I could prepare myself if there was any "bad news" the surgeon might give. Thanks for any info. you can give.

DonnaJean,

The surgeon immediately after the procedure generally tells you how he thinks the surgery went, but the tissues are sent to Pathology and the definitive results usually come days later. Based on the pathology report, the doctor makes recommendations for further treatment, if any.

You are both in our thoughts. Keep us posted.

DonnaJean, my surgery was 11 hours and I don't know how long it took me to wake up, but when I did, and managed to get the people around me to understand that I needed a paper and pencil, my first question was about the lymph nodes. At that time they had the path results and could tell me. Now before you panic, your husband will NOT be in surgery for 11 hours. I had a tumor removed from inside my mouth and a graft taken from my arm. All that took much, much longer than the neck procedure. I bellieve I can speak for everyone here who has had the modified radical neck dissection when I say that he is going to come through it much, much easier than you fear. Now, take a deep breath...
Joanna

Donnajean,

When is your husband's surgery? Please come on when you get a chance and let us know how he is.

As a someone who has had the surgery it is not a bad surgery. I'd say I did better after that, than I did when they took out 14 teeth. Since it's after radiation and chemo he may be more sensitive, but I am sure he will do better than you expect.

They can send the lymph nodes out to a lab or have them done while in surgery. At this stage I'd think they'd send them out. So the doc will probably just tell you how your husband is doing and how the surgery went.

Take care and remember to let us know how he is when you get a chance.

Dinah

I know how you feel. My husband had his sugery in October on his 56th birtday. The surgery took 6 hours. No surprise, that is exactly what the MD said it would take. Bring a friend or at least a very good book. 6 hours seems like an eternity when you are waiting. After the surgey the MD came out and told me everything went well but he pathology report would take a week. After surgery, my husband had two drainage bags from the site. He was discharged when they were draining clear fluid. I think he went home on the 3rd day after surgery.Two weeks later we went on a weekend cruise to Nova Scota to celebrate his birtday and he did fine. Good luck.

Thanks everyone for your help. The surgery is set for Feb. 6th (this coming Thursday)....and I'll be so glad when that's done! Joanne - wow - 11 hours???! oh my goodness! Well, if you came out of that OK....I'm sure a procedure half that time should be a "breeze". Thanks also Joanne for the email. Are you sure you weren't a "drill sargeant" at one time?? (lol). Anyways - thanks everyone for your concern, and I'll let you know afterwards how things went. The doc did say he would be in-hospital for 3 - 5 days, and probably a week at home yet to recoup before going about his daily business. Keeping all of you in my thoughts as well.....take care.

donnajean
Just to say i hope everything goes well for your husband on thursday, i will be thinking of you both. My brother also had a 10 hour op and 3 hours later he was actually speaking to us. So please try not to worry too much.

My surgery was radical neck dissection plus manibulotomy and pectoralis major myocataneous flap transplant, it lasted 8+ hours, I woke up 1.5 hour after the surgery, stayed in hopital 8 days. My personal experience was that even so, the radiation was much tougher.

Thanks again everyone for your concern and the info. Last night and upon waking this morning, my husband said he felt like a cold was coming on - but he wasn't sure. He had a sore throat (but that has come and gone over these past 2 months post-radiation) a cough and a whole lot of phlegm re-occuring again. This had stopped for awhile, but still tends to rear it's ugly head now and then - and makes things so miserable for him that he hardly had anything to eat today. He felt somewhat better as the evening progressed - but still hardly ate anything. He said he doesn't think it's really a cold - he just felt awful all day. I wonder if this is a concern that should be mentioned to the doctor before surgery? I would think so - but I think my husband just wants to get this surgery over and done with. I hope that what he is feeling today is nothing more than just a "poopy day"....and not something that could interfere with the surgery or his recovery. Also, I checked with the doctors office - and although they could not definitively tell me how long the surgery will be - they did say that he is charted for 3 hours (give or take). Thanks Cazz for your warm thoughts and wishes - I really do appreciate it. Best wishes and hope things are going well for all of you. Take care and I'll keep you posted on John's (hubby) recovery. But in anyone's personal experience - has a severe phlegm problem ever caused a postponment of surgery, or is that usually something they can work around?