Preservation of the cervical plexus with a selective neck dissection through a low-collar incision in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma: an analysis of 112cases        SUN Tuan-qi, WU Yi. Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center (FUSCC)；Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai200032, China
Corresponding author: WU Yi, E-mail: ywu@rddb.shanghai.gov.cn
Abstract    Objective    To determine the utility and experiences of preserving the cervical plexus in selective neck dissections for differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). Methods    Preservation of the cervical plexus was used for selective neck dissection through a low-collar incision in 112 cases of  DTC from January 2009 to December 2010 in the Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center. Results    The most common site of cervical lymph node metastases was level VI (78.8%), followed by level IV (72.9%) and III (60.2%). The metastasis rates in level II and VB were 43.8% and 16.9%, respectively. No impairment of sensation of ears, lower necks and upper shoulders was found. There was no local recurrence at the time of follow-up for 1 to 25 months. Conclusion    If utilized in the appropriate patient population, a selective neck dissection through a low-collar incision for DTC can be a successful alternative to the modified or radical neck dissection. It could be performed in N1b patients when there is no level VA lymph node metastasis, or when the metastasis is not aggressive.