They rebuilt the tongue with the skin of the arm after suffering from cancer

Joanna Smith noticed an ulcer in her mouth and decided to see a doctor. The doctors informed him that I had cancer and, if I did not treat it, I would be very lucky to have between six and eight months to live. After the impact of the news, this 58-year-old woman underwent surgery to improve her prognosis.

Surgeons They removed almost all the tongue, the glands of the neck and several teeth. During the operation, they also removed some skin and muscle from the leg to create a new organ. However, the body rejected the transplant. With the permission of the family, the experts decided to try another technique.

After three surgeries, in Smith, Bedfordshire, England, They were able to rebuild his tongue from a skin and vein of his left arm. "They always said that they could replace what they took, it was stressful, but the result is fantastic," he told foreign media. "There were 29 people involved in the operation.When I woke up, I was disoriented but I could talk right away, I felt like I had something d & # 39; strange in the mouth, "he added.

As for the recovery, for the moment Avoid very hot foods to avoid burning and start incorporating solid foods. He also hopes that doctors will soon replace his teeth. In the meantime, you are gradually getting used to change because you have to wash your mouth often. He should also be careful when speaking because he can bite easily because he has no sensitivity in some parts of the tongue. Whatever it is, he said that he was not suffering from cancer.