Hi, I had surgery in Nov, 2023 for mandiblectomy on lower rt jaw. They took a piece of bone from my fibia to make a new jawbone. My problem is, after 18 mths, I am still having difficulty with walking gait & tightness in leg. Could scar tissue be affecting this? This should not be going on for this long as I have read patients regain mobility as so as 4-6 weeks. Please advise
Hello Pagerino,
Thank you for getting in touch with us, and welcome to our online community. My name is Annerose I’m one of the Cancer Information Nurses here at the Macmillan Cancer Support line.
I understand you had a right lower jaw reconstruction with a fibular free flab 18 months ago.
It sounds like you’ve got a lot going on. It is natural that you might be worried about the length of time it takes to recover, about the tightness in your leg and the walking difficulties you experience.
Recovery times can vary, and a bone graft often takes several months to heal, especially if tissues such as muscles and skin have also been removed.
Unfortunately, as we have no access to NHS medical records, we can not comment on your individual situation.
You might still have regular follow ups with your hospital team. We would recommend getting in touch with your team, or your Head and Neck or plastic surgery specialist nurse, (CNS) if you have one. Let them know you are worried about the tightness, your gait and walking difficulties.
They might want to assess your leg, evaluate the functional outcome of the reconstruction, assess bone healing and discuss any concerns you might have. They will be able to plan next steps, and you could ask if a referral to a physiotherapist would be useful.
Dealing with cancer can be an emotional time and you might find it helpful to read our web pages about getting emotional support. You can also check our webpage to find details of support and information organisations in your area.
An organisation called Maggie’s offers psychological support and support groups for people with cancer.
I hope this has been helpful, but please don’t hesitate to get back in touch if you need any further information or support.
Best wishes and take care
Annerose (Cancer Information Nurse Specialist)
You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or send us an email.
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