Elective and therapeutic selective neck dissection.
Selective neck dissection is a modification of the more comprehensive modified radical or radical neck dissection that is designed to remove only those nodal levels considered to be at risk for harboring nodal metastases. The role of selective neck dissection continues to evolve: while initially designed as a staging and diagnostic procedure for patients without clinical evidence of nodal disease, a growing body of literature suggests that selective neck dissection has a therapeutic role in patients with clinical and histologic evidence of nodal metastases. The rationale behind selective neck dissection, its application in the clinically negative but histologically node-positive neck and the extended application of selective neck dissection in patients with clinical evidence of nodal disease are discussed.
Department of Surgical Sciences, ENT Clinic, University of Udine, Policlinico Universitario, Piazzale S. Maria della Misericordia, 33100 Udine, Italy. a.ferlito@uniud.it
Alfio
A
Ferlito
Alessandra
A
Rinaldo
Carl E
CE
Silver
Christine G
CG
Gourin
Jatin P
JP
Shah
Gary L
GL
Clayman
Luiz P
LP
Kowalski
Ashok R
AR
Shaha
K Thomas
KT
Robbins
Carlos
C
Suárez
C René
CR
Leemans
Petra
P
Ambrosch
Jesus E
JE
Medina
Randal S
RS
Weber
Eric M
EM
Genden
Phillip K
PK
Pellitteri
Jochen A
JA
Werner
Eugene N
EN
Myers
D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000517:prevention & control; D037981:Neck Dissection / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D011788:Quality of Life