International Journal of Head and Neck Surgery

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VOLUME 5 , ISSUE 3 ( September-December, 2014 ) > List of Articles

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Incidence of Lymphatic Metastasis to Neck Nodes Level IIb in Neck Dissection for Head and Neck Cancers: A Retrospective Study

Faisal Al Zahrani, Khalid Al-Qahtani, Mohammed Alshahrani, Khamis Almufargi, Abdullah Alkhudhayri, Labeb Obad, Tahera Islam

Citation Information : Zahrani FA, Al-Qahtani K, Alshahrani M, Almufargi K, Alkhudhayri A, Obad L, Islam T. Incidence of Lymphatic Metastasis to Neck Nodes Level IIb in Neck Dissection for Head and Neck Cancers: A Retrospective Study. Int J Head Neck Surg 2014; 5 (3):99-103.

DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10001-1192

Published Online: 01-12-2015

Copyright Statement:  Copyright © 2014; The Author(s).


Abstract

Introduction

Selective neck dissection (SND) is performed to prevent head and neck cancers metastasis. We tried to determine the incidence of level IIb lymph nodes metastasis and it is associations in head and neck cancers for selection of patients requiring SND.

Materials and methods

A retrospective study was conducted on 57 patients who underwent surgical removal of the head and neck tumor by 84 neck dissections. Fisher exact test was used to measure the association between positive IIb nodes and the other variables.

Results

Nine (15.8%) of 57 patients showed level IIb lymph nodes metastasis comprising 10.71% of the 84 neck dissections. Six (66.66%) were associated with oral cavity cancers, 8 (88.9%) with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), 6 (66.66%) with T4 tumor. Five (55.6%) were N2b, and 7 (77.8%) were found in N+ necks. All (100%) positive IIb nodes were associated with metastatic level IIa. Significant associations were found betweenpositive IIbnodesand N2b (p= 0.005), clinically N+ necks (p = 0.005) and IIa (p < 0.01).

Conclusion

The incidence of level IIb nodes metastasis is high so they should be removed in any oral tumor, SCC, advanced staging, N+ necks or positive IIa lymph nodes metastasis.

How to cite this article

Al zahrani F, Al-Qahtani K, Alshahrani m, Almufargi K, Alkhudhayri A, Obad l, Islam T. Incidence of lymphatic metastasis to Neck Nodes level IIb in Neck Dissection for Head and Neck Cancers: A Retrospective Study. Int J Head Neck Surg 2014;5(3):99-103.


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