Patency and flow of the internal jugular vein after functional neck dissection.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the patency and flow of the internal jugular vein after functional neck dissection.


METHODS
Prospective study of 54 internal jugular veins in 29 oncologic patients undergoing functional neck dissection between September 1994 and February 1997.


METHODS
Patency, presence of thrombosis, characteristics of the vein wall, compressibility, area of the vein both in rest and during Valsalva maneuver, expiratory flow speed, Valsalva flow speed, jugular flow in each side, and total jugular flow were assessed in all veins before and after dissection. All patients were evaluated before and after the procedure by means of duplex Doppler ultrasonography.


RESULTS
In no case was there thrombosis before or after the operation. Although total jugular flow decreases during the early postoperative period, it recovers to normal parameters within 3 months after surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
According to these results, the patency of the internal jugular vein remains unaltered after functional neck dissection. Ultrasonographically there is no thrombosis after this procedure.
Prim
M P
MP
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, La Paz Hospital, Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain. jidediegompprim@retemail.es
de Diego
J I
JI
Fernández-Zubillaga
A
A
García-Raya
P
P
Madero
R
R
Gavilán
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007601:Jugular Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D037981:Neck Dissection / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018616:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex; D014654:Vascular Patency