Meet the flap
I can’t pretend to know all the medical school specifics, but part of my hip bone and my oblique muscle were used to reconstruct my jaw.
It’s a procedure that I wouldn’t expect the average Jane to know about.
It’s called a free flap.
One of the most common areas to use to reconstruct the jaw is actually the fibula. However, when my CT scan came back, it showed that I had arteries in my legs that wouldn’t allow for the fibula to be used. The hip is another great option. I believe especially with a case like mine*, where I had so much hollowing of the face, resulting in less than ideal facial contour, the oblique muscle was a helpful filler.
I am 2 months post-op. Healing isn’t linear.
Reflecting on my journey, I constantly stop and give thanks to my body. It’s incredible knowing that one part of my physical being was used to help another part. It’s comforting in an odd way. I’ve had barely any pain throughout this process. There’s been the expected hurdles of acclimating to a brand new jaw, with improved occlusion. It is taking time to re-train my muscles (tongue included) and my nerves how to move when I chew, talk, smile and generally express. All of this is to be expected.
We are still tackling an infection that has been pretty persistent. We’ve confirmed that I’m on the correct antibiotic regimine and I’ll continue this for another ~19 days or so. Of course, an infection is really unnerving when there is a newly implanted bone that is attempting to settle. It can pose a risk.
But every day, I focus on peace and harmony within my body. My body’s natural state is that of healing. I recognize that in a short amount of time, my body has embraced a new normal. A familiar friend, a piece of my hip, in a new location. Everything is working out. Everything is as it should be.
I am powerful,
Steph
*My case involves too much detail to possibly lay out here, but in short, I had keratocyst in 2015. The treatment was a partial jaw resection. Since then, I developed issues with my occlusion, causing several jaw dislocations. In December, I had a second reconstruction with a new surgeon for a better outcome. Thanks for reading!
