What is thyroid neck dissection?
Table of Contents
What is thyroid neck dissection?
In 30-50% of patients with cancer of the thyroid gland, the cancer spreads to the surrounding lymph nodes in the neck. Neck dissection is a surgical procedure performed to remove these lymph nodes.
How long does it take to recover from neck dissection surgery?
Avoid straining your neck muscles or lifting objects weighing more than 10 pounds (lbs) or 4.5 kilograms (kg) for 4 to 6 weeks. Try to walk every day. You can return to sports (golf, tennis, and running) after 4 to 6 weeks. Most people are able to go back to work in 2 to 3 weeks.
Where is neck incision dissection?
The modified radical neck dissection uses the same incisions and elevation of subplatysmal flaps as the radical neck dissection. The dissection then begins with incision of the fascia over the SCM and medial dissection in the superior third of the SCM to identify CN XI.
How many lymph nodes are in the neck?
There approximately 600 lymph nodes in the body, and 200 of this are located in the neck. A neck dissection is useful not only to remove the cancer, but also so that the nodes can be examined by a pathologist.
Why do a neck dissection?
A neck dissection is done to: check for cancer in the lymph nodes in the neck. remove lymph nodes that may contain cancer. remove lymph nodes when there is a high chance cancer will spread to them.
How do you feel 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.
What happens when neck lymph nodes are removed?
If you have had lymph nodes removed, there is a risk of developing swelling later on. This swelling is called lymphoedema (limf-o-dee-ma). The lymph nodes are part of your body’s drainage system. Removing them can affect the natural circulation and drainage of tissue fluid in this area.
How many lymph nodes are removed in a central neck dissection?
The average total nodal yield (all central plus lateral neck lymph nodes removed during the operation) was 18 for the initial operations and 17 for the reoperations; the average total number of positive nodes was 7 of 18 for the initial operations and 6 of 17 for the reoperations.
