In China, went to a bad surgeon, got released but the doc has stopped communicating with me. Now at another hospital and they dont know what these metal wires are for. Does anyone here know or when they should come off?
Heres my first post for context (nsfw, exposed jaw bone): https://old.reddit.com/r/jawsurgery/comments/1t7s7d7/exposed_bone_3_weeks_after_surgery_the_doctor/
The metal wires are on both sides of my lower front teeth.
I went for double jaw surgery at 6th peoples hospital (public) in Shanghai, China. I was recommended by SinoUnited hospital’s ENT department (Private) to treat extremely severe sleep apnea (70% o2 at night AHI 68 even after UPPP surgery and deviated septum surgery w adenoid reduction). SinoUnited is a great hospital but they dont do major surgeries like DJS and theyre usually great other than this referral.
Leading up to the surgery, I did one ct scan but no real discussions with the surgeon because he didn’t speak English (im American btw, no healthcare back home). So the doctor really didn’t explain the processes he would use with me.
The recovery experience was a nightmare. No pain meds other than some anti-inflammatory drips and antibiotics the first couple of days. I was in the hospital 12 days total and then released.
The night I was released, my pain started to increase so I went to a 3rd hospital Jiahui Health (private) the next day. I had called the night before I went to Jiahui to explain the situation. I already knew 6th peoples wouldn’t address my increased pain. They called a specialist in from 9th peoples hospital, Dr. Shi, to work along with his former student (now a maxillary facial surgeon at Jiahui) Dr. Fang.
They immediately saw 5 large holes of exposed jaw bone, a misalignment of the lower jaw (misoclusion?*), severe misalignment of the teeth, infection all over (including one in the sinus), and a .5cm gap on the back right jawbone.
6th peoples hospital had just observed my mouth the day prior and had not told me about the holes in my mouth. They sent me home on a soft food diet and the food was getting stuck in there!
No antibiotics for the obvious infection. Oh and 6th peoples hospital left two screws in the back of my jaw when they took off my elastic bands.
The specialist from 9th peoples hospital stitched my exposed jaw bones after cleaning them out and I was admitted to Jiahui for one week of antibiotics IVs non stop, daily observation and cleaning. The one in my sinus could have been deadly.
Well, I sent off a pretty frustrated email to the team at 6th peoples and now theyre refusing to talk to me (blocked on wechat too), or the new doctors from 9th and Jiahui.
The thing is, they are unsure if it’s ok to take these metal wires off of my mouth now. Are they helping or hurting my recovery? Theyre tearing up my tongue a bit and hurt like crazy. They feel like they’re supposed to support my chin staying together maybe?
Im getting released tomorrow and will go visit 6th peoples hospital to ask in person about the wires (amongst other issues). Probably visit their patient advocate/conflict resolution department too.
Not that I think it will help.
Just in case they give me the cold shoulder, can anyone tell me what these wires are? My surgery was april 15th. Are they supposed to have come off yet?
It’s is a wild, frustrating, stupid story. Thanks for reading all of that.
Hopefully google picks up the “Shanghai China” in the text and DJS surgery so the next lost laowai doesn’t make the same mistake I did!