Internal jugular vein preservation in neck dissection for pN1-N2c oral and oropharyngeal carcinoma

Pontes, Everton; Filho, João Gonçalves; Agra, Ivan Marcelo Gonçalves; Carvalho, André Lopes; Magrin, José; Kowalski, Luiz Paulo

doi:10.1016/j.amjoto.2006.10.002

« Previous Next »American Journal of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Medicine and Surgery
Volume 28, Issue 5 , Pages 316-320, September 2007

Internal jugular vein preservation in neck dissection for pN1-N2c oral and oropharyngeal carcinoma

Head and Neck Surgery and Otorhinolaryngology Department, Centro de Tratamento e Pesquisa Hospital do Câncer A. C. Camargo, -Fundação Antonio Prudente

Received 7 August 2006

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study is to evaluate risk factors of neck recurrence in patients with pN1-N2 neck stage, submitted to a modified radical neck dissection with preservation of the internal jugular vein.

Materials and methods

We reviewed the medical records of 72 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity (43 cases) and oropharynx (29 cases). The clinical stage of the neck was N1 in 23 cases and N2a-c in 49.

Results

Neck recurrences occurred in 6 cases at the side in which the internal jugular vein was preserved. Neck recurrence did not have significant correlation with tumor site (P = .391), T stage (P = .999), N stage (P = .203), adjuvant radiotherapy (P = .999), number of positive lymph nodes (P = .180), lymph nodes size (P = .429), and extracapsular spread (P = .400).

Conclusions

Modified radical neck dissection with internal jugular vein preservation can be performed in selected patients with lymph node metastases, with no significant increase on the risk of neck recurrence.