What are the complications of a neck dissection?

The greatest risk in a neck dissection is damage to the nerves, muscles, and veins in the neck. Nerve damage can cause numbness (temporary or permanent) in different regions on the neck and create loss of function (temporary or permanent).

What happens after neck dissection?

For most people, the swelling starts to go away 4 to 5 days after surgery. You may have numbness in your neck and ear. Your lower lip or shoulder may feel weak. For most people, these problems go away in 6 to 12 months.

How long does it take to recover from a radical neck dissection?

If you only have a neck dissection, you may be able to go home after just 3 days. If you’ve had any additional surgery, a stay of 1-2 weeks is more common. If you have any complications you may be in for more than 2 weeks.

What potential postoperative complications may be involved with the patient who has radical neck dissection?

Postoperative complications following modified radical neck dissection (MRND) match those experienced with radical neck dissection (RND) and include hematoma, infection, skin flap necrosis, chyle fistula, marginal mandibular nerve injury, and carotid artery rupture.

Why does my shoulder hurt after neck dissection?

During surgery to lymph nodes in the neck, the spinal accessory nerve is sometimes injured. This nerve usually sends messages to the shoulder muscle. If it is damaged, the shoulder may feel stiff. Some people find that the shoulder can be painful, more difficult to move or weaker than before.

How many lymph nodes are removed in a radical neck dissection?

Results: In the 20 cadaver neck dissections, the average number of lymph nodes removed for levels I-V was 24, with 13 for levels I-III and 19 for levels II-IV.

Can you eat after a radical neck dissection?

You can eat your regular foods unless your provider has given you a special diet. If pain in your neck and throat is making it hard to eat: Take your pain medicine 30 minutes before meals.

Which level of lymph nodes are removed during radical neck dissection?

Modified radical neck dissection type I (MRND-I): Lymph nodes from level I-V, ipsilateral sternocleidomastoid muscle, and internal jugular vein are removed, with preservation of the spinal accessory nerve.

Why do a neck dissection?

Neck dissection is usually performed to remove cancer that has spread to lymph nodes in the neck. Lymph nodes are small bean shaped glands scattered throughout the body that filter and process lymph fluid from other organs. The immune cells in the lymph nodes help the body fight infection.

What happens when you have a radical neck dissection?

The radical neck dissection is effective but produces characteristic cosmetic changes. Because so much tissue is removed, one side of the neck may appear flatter than the other. More importantly, sacrifice of the nerve to the trapezius muscle results in visible drooping of the shoulder and difficulty in raising the arm over head.

Are there alternatives to radical neck dissection for cancer?

Radiation and chemotherapy may be used instead of a radical neck dissection in the case of cancer. Alternatives for some surgical procedures may reduce scarring, but are not as effective in the removal of all pathological tissue. Chemotherapy and radiation or altered fractionated radiotherapy are reasonable alternatives.

What kind of pain does radical dissection cause?

All subjects had a constant feeling of pain in the neck and a significant pain in shoulder, feeling of tightness while initiating movement, and 7 (23.3%) of them, who underwent radical dissection, had a significantly lowered shoulder and spinal pain (Table 1).

What are the different types of neck dissections?

Neck Dissection 1 Radical Neck Dissection. This operation has been used for almost 100 years and describes… 2 Modified Radical Neck Dissection. This term describes a variety of neck dissections… 3 The Procedure. Neck dissections are done under general anesthesia through an incision… 4 Neck dissections are subject…