Neck Dissection

Neck dissection is a surgical procedure for control of neck lymph node metastasis from squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, aiming to remove lymph nodes from one side of the neck into which cancer cells may have migrated. Metastasis of squamous cell carcinoma into the lymph nodes of the neck reduces survival and is the most important factor in the spread of the disease, and the metastases may originate from squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract, including the oral cavity, tongue, nasopharynx, oropharynx, hypopharynx and larynx, as well as the thyroid, parotid and posterior scalp.