title: Reconstruction of spinal accessory nerve after radical neck dissection.
abstract: Resection of the spinal accessory nerve in cases of radical neck dissection often causes considerable damage to the function of the shoulder girdle; it leads to limitation of the motion of the upper limb and pain in the shoulder girdle. It seems a sensible compromise to reconstruct the spinal accessory nerve in one-stage operation with radical neck dissection, which can often prevent extensive atrophy of the trapezius muscle, with a resultant improvement in the chance of successful rehabilitation. The technique of the operation is described: after completion of radical neck dissection, in one-stage operation an autogenous nerve transplant from the n. auricularis magnus is sewn onto the central and peripheral stumps of the spinal accessory nerve, which are protected by a "vein-muff" and the fascia of the muscle. After such spinal accessory nerve reconstruction, subjective complaints and objective symptoms were much milder in 6 patients than in the control group, which consisted of 10 patients who underwent a similar operation but without spinal accessory nerve reconstruction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Szent-Györgyi Albert University Medical School, Szeged, Hungary.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jóri
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sávay
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Czigner
mesh_terms: D000055:Accessory Nerve / Q000601:surgery*; D000368:Aged; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck / Q000294:innervation; D037981:Neck Dissection; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000637:transplantation; D011446:Prospective Studies