Nerve damage during the neck dissection for thyroid cancer：causes and prevention        WU Yi. Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center (FUSCC), Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Fudan University Thyroid Cancer Center,Shanghai 200032，China
Abstract    Neck dissection is the essential part of the treatment of thyroid cancer. There are a lot of nerves involved in the procedure, for example, the sympathetic nerve, vagus nerve, accessory nerve, subglossal nerve, the marginal mandibular branch of facial nerve, phrenic nerve and brachial plexus. The physician performing the surgery is supposed to be very skillful and very acquainted with the neck anatomy. The damage of the nerve will cause the corresponding damage of the body funtion, and therefore affect the quality of life in a certain level. In conclusion, each of the candidate for neck dissection should be handled seriously.