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. 2016 Sep;7(3):303-6.
doi: 10.1007/s13193-015-0461-5. Epub 2015 Sep 16.

Level IIb Neck Dissection in Oral Cavity Cancers- When Should One Address it..?

Jyoti Pralhad Dabholkar  1 , Neeti Madan Kapre  2
Affiliations

Level IIb Neck Dissection in Oral Cavity Cancers- When Should One Address it..?

Jyoti Pralhad Dabholkar et al. Indian J Surg Oncol. 2016 Sep.

Abstract

Nodal metastases is the most important prognostic marker for oral cavity cancers. Nodal dissection at level IIb risks damage to the spinal accessory nerve. We aim to study positivity of level IIb lymph nodes in oral cancers. In this non-randomized prospective observational study, 65 patients of oral cavity cancers were evaluated. Appropriate surgery for primary tumour and neck dissection were undertaken. All patients underwent level II b dissection. Out of 67 neck dissections (27 elective and 40 therapeutic), 7 patients had level IIb positive for metastases (10.44 %) with no isolated or contralateral metastases at level IIb and direct correlation with level IIa nodes. There was no statistical association of level IIb positivity with stage or site of primary. Level IIb dissection can be avoided in N0 necks. For therapeutic neck dissections, Level IIb should be cleared if there are positive nodes at level IIa.

Keywords: Level IIB; Neck dissection; Oral cavity cancers.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Level IIb nodal tissue in the submuscular recess
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Distribution of patient population based on the site of primary
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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