What is a neck dissection?

A neck dissection is an operation that is performed to explore the front and sides of the neck in order to locate and remove lymph nodes and other structures that may contain cancer. It is usually performed when a preoperative evaluation has revealed that thyroid cancer has spread beyond the thyroid gland. It may also be performed when surgical exploration of the thyroid gland show evidence of previously undetected spread of cancer. There are two types of neck dissections. In a radical neck dissection, all of the lymph nodes on one side of the neck in an area extending from the lower edge of the jaw to the upper edge of the collarbone are removed, along with sections of muscle, nerve, and the large veins located in the neck. In a modified radical neck dissection, all of the lymph nodes from the same region are removed, but the muscle, nerve, and large veins are left intact. In one particular form of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid cancer, extensive neck dissection is the most effective means of preventing the spread and recurrence of cancer.

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