Dissection in the neck to remove all disease tissues including cervical LYMPH NODES and to leave an adequate margin of normal tissue. This type of surgery is usually used in tumors or cervical metastases in the head and neck. The prototype of neck dissection is the radical neck dissection described by Crile in 1906.
Entry Term(s)
Radical Neck Dissection
NLM Classification #
WE 708
Previous Indexing
Lymph Node Dissection (1966-2002)
Radical Neck Dissection (1965-2002)
Public MeSH Note
2003; for RADICAL NECK DISSECTION see RADICAL NECK DISSECTION 1965-2002
History Note
2003; for RADICAL NECK DISSECTION use RADICAL NECK DISSECTION 1965-2002
Dissection in the neck to remove all disease tissues including cervical LYMPH NODES and to leave an adequate margin of normal tissue. This type of surgery is usually used in tumors or cervical metastases in the head and neck. The prototype of neck dissection is the radical neck dissection described by Crile in 1906.
A surgical operation for head and neck malignancies, most of which are squamous cell carcinomas. The neck is opened laterally, the majority of the sternocleidomastoid muscle is removed, as are the regional cervical lymph nodes, the jugular vein, the spinal accessory nerve, the submaxillary gland and most of the parotid gland. There are several modifications. (From Segen, Dictionary of Modern Medicine, 1992, p605)
