title: Lymph node topography of the head and neck in New Zealand White rabbits.
abstract: Investigations of the lymphogenic metastatic spread of VX2 carcinomas in New Zealand White rabbits require an exact knowledge of the topography of cervical and facial lymph nodes. The topography of neck lymph nodes was evaluated from 16 rabbits macroscopically, histologically and by lymphographic investigations, and the possibility of their surgical removal (neck dissection) was examined. The upper aerodigestive tract and the ear of New Zealand White rabbits drain via four consistent groups of 12-18 lymph nodes. Except for the paratracheal lymph node, they are all easily accessible to surgery. The data presented in this study encourage the use of induced VX2 carcinomas in New Zealand White rabbits as an animal model to study the lymphogenic metastatic spread of squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck. Such investigations could lead to an improvement of surgical and pharmaceutical treatment of this tumour entity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Philipps-University Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Anja-A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Dunne
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Plehn
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schulz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Levermann
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ramaswamy
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Lippert
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Werner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006257:Head; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008334:Mandible; D009333:Neck; D010306:Parotid Gland; D011817:Rabbits / Q000033:anatomy & histology*