Minimally-invasive neck dissection and free flap reconstruction in patients with cancer of the head and neck

We describe our experience of cervical lymphadenectomy with microvascular anastomoses involving levels I to V through a minimally-invasive neck dissection. We retrospectively studied 12 patients who had levels I to IV neck dissection with free flap reconstruction between July 2013 and April 2015 at Poole Hospital (male:female ratio 8:4, mean (range) age 66 (49 – 83) years). The mean (range) operating time was 7 (5 – 8) hours, and the total volume drained from the neck was 105 (60-300) ml. The mean (range) number of harvested lymph nodes was 26 (13-39) from levels I to III, and 33 (20-42) from levels I to IV.

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