Doctors remove Gwynn’s tumor, facial nerve

SAN DIEGO — Doctors who operated on Tony Gwynn say it appears the Hall of Fame outfielder’s cancer has not spread. But they say it will take up to 18 months for him to regain movement in the right side of his face.

The UC San Diego Health System said Wednesday that surgeons removed a facial nerve because it was intertwined with the tumor. They grafted a nerve from Gwynn’s neck to make sure he will eventually regain facial movement.

The hospital system says Gwynn is in good spirits and that Tuesday’s surgery went “extremely well.” It says the type of Gwynn’s cancer accounts for less than 1 percent of all head and neck cancers.

Gwynn had a malignant growth removed from the same spot in August 2010.