Amputation neuromas after neck dissection.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to define the incidence of neuroma formation after neck dissection in a large series of patients.


METHODS
One hundred fifty-three patients who were seen during a 2-year period (followed for 3 months to 10 years; mean, 52 months) were evaluated for neuroma formation after neck dissection (185 procedures). Cut nerve edges were not routinely ligated or cauterized.


RESULTS
Operative records indicated that except for 4 cases, the stumps of the great auricular nerve and cervical branches were left intact after resection. No cases of palpable neuromas were found. In one case of a revised neck, a small macroscopically indiscernible nodule was histologically defined as neuroma.


CONCLUSIONS
No neuromas were discovered in our series of neck dissection cases. If found, it is imperative these lesions be differentiated from recurrent cancer. Our results do not support any interference with cut nerve edges.
Talmi
Yoav P
YP
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, the Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel. talmi@attglobal.net
Bedrin
Lev
L
Dori
Shay
S
Horowitz
Zeev
Z
Wolf
Michael
M
Yahalom
Ran
R
Peleg
Michael
M
Teicher
Shlomo
S
Kronenberg
Jona
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D037981:Neck Dissection / Q000379:methods*; D009464:Neuroma, Acoustic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D011183:Postoperative Complications