RADICAL NECK DISSECTION

Course overview

HEAD AND NECK CANCERS MOST COMMONLY METASTASIZE INITIALLY TO THE CERVICAL NODAL BASINS. AS A RESULT, REMOVING THE CERVICAL LYMPH NODES IS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THE STANDARD OF CARE FOR MANY HEAD AND NECK CANCERS. RADICAL NECK DISSECTION REFERS TO REMOVING LEVELS I-V ALONG WITH THE SCM, IJV, AND CN XI. THE MODIFIED RADICAL NECK DISSECTION ALSO REMOVES LEVELS I-V BUT SPARES AT LEAST ONE NON-LYMPHATIC STRUCTURE (SCM, IJV, OR CN XI). SELECTIVE NECK DISSECTION REFERS TO ANY PROCEDURE WHICH REMOVES ONE OR MORE LEVELS OF THE NECK BASED ON PATTERNS OF CERVICAL METASTASIS. FINALLY, AN EXTENDED NECK DISSECTION REFERS TO ANY NECK DISSECTION THAT REMOVES ADDITIONAL STRUCTURES OF LYMPH NODES FROM AREAS NOT ADDRESSED IN RADICAL NECK DISSECTION. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE INDICATIONS AND PROCEDURAL STEPS FOR RADICAL NECK DISSECTION AND BRIEFLY DISCUSSES OTHER VARIANTS OF NECK DISSECTION FOR HEAD AND NECK CANCER. THIS ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHT THE ROLE OF THE HEALTHCARE TEAM IN MANAGING PATIENTS WITH HEAD AND NECK CANCER.