I just spoke with the "subtractive" surgeon and the first part of surgery is complete. The good news is that the surgeon is confident that he removed all necrotic bone and diseased tissue. There was a "balloon" area that Martin's body created to harbor the fluid and bacteria and that leached down his neck and in that area the surgeon had to remove plenty of skin and tissue which is now being replaced with pectoral tissue, artery, vein, etc. The complete mandible reconstruction will not be done today but...drum roll please...
HE WILL BE ABLE TO OPEN HIS MOUTH....more than ever at any rate...the surgeon told me he removed plenty of radiation scarred tissue which has prevented his mouth from opening and there is not any planned radiation as therapy for him again....I even have his obturator, i.e., the artificial roof to Martin's mouth, in a little box for safe keeping now in my possession. He will still need this forevermore to speak well and eat. It is of course, not so simple...it will be a long rehab to get his mouth working well again for eating but that will come later. For now, for nourishment, he will have a naso-gastric tube...nothing like a liquid diet! We are thankful for modern medicine all joking aside. The reconstruction will be a later date but this week he will also receive a gastric tube for food and so that procedure will still need to be done. That stomach tube for feeding will be temporary and he will be weaned off of it after the mandible reconstruction. If all goes well,(new tissue is accepted, no infection or a very controlled minimal amount of bacteria controlled and at best eradicated) we can be home in a day or two. Home is the best recovery of all.
He will be in there for a few more hours while the plastic surgeon finishes putting him back together for now. Will post when I know more.
Thank you friends, Traci
traci-
ReplyDeletethank you for these updates. his being able to open his mouth is good news!