Hi has anyone had any permanent damage to shoulder and neck after a neck disection, it is now 18 months since surgery, they took 23 lymph nodes away of which 13 were cancerous, also sacrificed my spinal accessory nerve and my internal jugular vein, I had a lot of sessions with physio with my loss of shoulder movement and lots of pain, I have recently been told I am not able to go back to my place of work due to the wasting of muscle and nerve damage in neck and arm
i did leave a note here last year and had lots of reply’s for that I am grateful, just wondering if there are others out there with permanent damage
I have permanent damage GF1 following a dissection very nearly ten years ago now, I too had accessory nerve and jugular sacrificed. Today, other than a lowered shoulder and very occasional mild pain, it just is what it is...I've adapted to the limited movement and strength and don't really give it a second thought.
By a twist of fate my "strong" left shoulder has been virtually useless since February (horribly fractured and dislocated) so my weak arm is, for now at least, the stronger one.
So yes I have permanent damage but it doesn't bother me at all, it's normal.
Metastatic SCC diagnosed 8th October 2013. Modified radical neck dissection November, thirty-five radiotherapy fractions with 2xCisplatin chemo Jan/Feb 2014. Recurrence on larynx diagnosed July 2020 so salvage laryngectomy in September 2020.
