New jaw bone not attached

Debi16043
Debi16043 Member Posts: 53
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

dr Garvey at md Anderson is my plastic surgeon.  Heres the current problem.  3 years ago had part of mandible replaced with fibula bone And secured in place with titanium plate,  Everything went fine and no cancer so far however.  The new bone has not grown together with the original jaw bone.  It is at 45 degree angle.  It also broke my plate in two places.  Dr Garvey does not know yet what to do.  He'd like to go in and straighten bone and take out broken plate and put in new one but because of the radiation there's too much scar tissue.  He said we may have to redo the surgery which means removing fibula in the other leg and redoing everything.  Has anyone heard of this?  Picture new mandible bone turned at angle instead of growing straight across and connecting with original bone.  Dr Garvey said the radiation did that to bone

Comments

  • ratface
    ratface Member Posts: 1,337 Member
    #2
    I've heard of it

    Hi Debi

     

    I belong to a cancer group that meets monthly and this exact situation has happened to one of the ladies in the group. It's incomprehensible that a Titanium plate can get broken but you are now the second person I hear of this happening to. She had a difficult time finding someone to fix it but I know it was fixed. I don't have personal recollection of how it was done but do know she got the plate fixed/replaced. This is not routine but it appears there is a solution somewhere. Your doctor  sounds like a wonderful caring  doctor and no doubt can find an answer for you. hang in there!

  • TracyLynn72
    TracyLynn72 Member Posts: 839
    #3
    I'm so sorry

    to hear you're dealing with this!  I have a titanium plate which has replaced 1/4 of my lower jaw.  It's not attached to anything as my hinge had to be removed in order to get clear margins.  Rads messed with mine and I have random swelling around it time to time now.  I hope they can find a fix to your problem and that it's not too severe!  

  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #4
    Hi Deb

     

    I have a lot of Jaw problems the worse is I can’t open my mouth more than ½ inch. I was seeing doctors at MDA and none of them wanting to do anything about it because I had radiation twice to the same area and the scar tissue is just too much that they don’t think it will heal. I hate hearing the news that you might have to go through this again but hope and pray that you will do well. There are some very good doctors at MDA just wish I did not live so far away

    Tim Hondo

  • jim and i
    jim and i Member Posts: 1,788 Member
    #5
    So sorry to hear of your

    So sorry to hear of your problems. I do not I can't give you advice but I can pray.

    Debbie

  • hwt
    hwt Member Posts: 2,328 Member
    #6
    jim and i said:

    So sorry to hear of your

    So sorry to hear of your problems. I do not I can't give you advice but I can pray.

    Debbie

    Debi

    In similar boat. While they say titanium plate I assume it is like mine and actully more like chain link. They recently discovered the fibula used in my jaw is exposed and all or part of bone maybe dead. ENT said if had to come out they would use chest tissue to replace. I wondered about using my other fibula but saved that question waiting for the facts to come in. Had bone scan yesterday and doctor appt Tuesday here in STL. Scan was sent to Mayo and I will likely fly there for consult next week too. My original surgery was 2 1/2 years ago, so close to same time frame. Hope you are not in pain. 

  • patricke
    patricke Member Posts: 570
    #7
    MANDIBLE PROBLEM

    Hey Debi, 

    I am very sorry to hear about your jaw not healing as it should.  I have not heard about your problem, but I have heard about other post surgical problems which needed surgical reconstruction.  What I am about to suggest may sound crazy, since I believe that you are in Texas, but given the gravity of your problem, I believe that I need to at least offer it as a possible option.  If it is at all possible, I recommend that you explore the possibility of getting a second opinion from Mark Urken, MD in NYC.  You can look him up on the web, he is an ENT who literally wrote the book on head and neck reconstructive surgery.  If anyone can successfully reconstruct your jaw bone Dr Urken can.  Sending you all of the best for a successful resolution.

    Hi again Deb,

    My wife, Diane, wants me to let you know that a couple of years ago, after a check-up visit, we went to a support group for patients of Dr Urken and his associates, and there was a woman attending who had had been suffering with multiple problems due to failed reconstructruve surgeries for her jaw with other doctors.  Someone suggested that she see Dr Urken, and he was finally able to provide the correct reconstructive surgery that she needed; she was amazed.   

    PATRICK      

  • Debi16043
    Debi16043 Member Posts: 53
    #8
    patricke said:

    MANDIBLE PROBLEM

    Hey Debi, 

    I am very sorry to hear about your jaw not healing as it should.  I have not heard about your problem, but I have heard about other post surgical problems which needed surgical reconstruction.  What I am about to suggest may sound crazy, since I believe that you are in Texas, but given the gravity of your problem, I believe that I need to at least offer it as a possible option.  If it is at all possible, I recommend that you explore the possibility of getting a second opinion from Mark Urken, MD in NYC.  You can look him up on the web, he is an ENT who literally wrote the book on head and neck reconstructive surgery.  If anyone can successfully reconstruct your jaw bone Dr Urken can.  Sending you all of the best for a successful resolution.

    Hi again Deb,

    My wife, Diane, wants me to let you know that a couple of years ago, after a check-up visit, we went to a support group for patients of Dr Urken and his associates, and there was a woman attending who had had been suffering with multiple problems due to failed reconstructruve surgeries for her jaw with other doctors.  Someone suggested that she see Dr Urken, and he was finally able to provide the correct reconstructive surgery that she needed; she was amazed.   

    PATRICK      

    Thank you for information

    Thank you for information I'll definetly keep it in mind.  I go back to md Anderson on august 12 to see what they've come up with.

  • Debi16043
    Debi16043 Member Posts: 53
    #9
    TracyLynn72 said:

    I'm so sorry

    to hear you're dealing with this!  I have a titanium plate which has replaced 1/4 of my lower jaw.  It's not attached to anything as my hinge had to be removed in order to get clear margins.  Rads messed with mine and I have random swelling around it time to time now.  I hope they can find a fix to your problem and that it's not too severe!  

    Mandible

    Did you have a bone graft and titanium plate put in?

  • Debi16043
    Debi16043 Member Posts: 53
    #10
    Hondo said:

    Hi Deb

     

    I have a lot of Jaw problems the worse is I can’t open my mouth more than ½ inch. I was seeing doctors at MDA and none of them wanting to do anything about it because I had radiation twice to the same area and the scar tissue is just too much that they don’t think it will heal. I hate hearing the news that you might have to go through this again but hope and pray that you will do well. There are some very good doctors at MDA just wish I did not live so far away

    Tim Hondo

    Tim thank you for your reply.

    Tim thank you for your reply.  I've seen your post on here.  Are you able to eat?

  • Debi16043
    Debi16043 Member Posts: 53
    #11
    jim and i said:

    So sorry to hear of your

    So sorry to hear of your problems. I do not I can't give you advice but I can pray.

    Debbie

    Thanks Jim.  That's all I do

    Thanks Jim.  That's all I do too.  I'm not too worried I pray that whatever Gods will is I'm ok with it.  

  • TracyLynn72
    TracyLynn72 Member Posts: 839
    #12
    Debi16043 said:

    Mandible

    Did you have a bone graft and titanium plate put in?

    Just a plate...

    My surgeon just did the plate.  He said he didn't care much for the bone graft procedure unless it was completely needed.  He assured me that my plate was all I would need and so far, so good.  Now I keep hearing about people who have had theirs break and I admit, it makes me a bit nervous!  I hope they can get you all fixed up soon!!!

  • traceyd1
    traceyd1 Member Posts: 79 Member
    #13
    My husband had his mandible

    My husband had his mandible replaced with his fibula and a titanium plate.  A couple of days later the bone lost blood flow and they went back in and used the other fibula.  He hasn't had any other problems.  Good luck!

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