Introduction The management of a patient with a tumor of the parapharyngeal space (PPS) is a challenging task. The complex nature of the anatomy of the PPS and the diversity of its contents gives rise to a wide variety of…
Introduction The retropharyngeal lymph nodes (RPLNs) are a small chain of lymph nodes located in the retropharyngeal space (RP) where they are divided into the medial and lateral groups. The boundaries of the RP are the carotid sheath laterally, skull…
Introduction The central compartment contains the first nodal basin for cancer originating in the thyroid and parathyroid and can be involved in cancers of the laryngotracheal complex. This space encompasses the prelaryngeal, pretracheal, and paratracheal lymph nodes, also known as…
Introduction The cervical lymphatics remain an important area of consideration in the evaluation of advanced cancer of the head and neck. Metastasis to cervical nodes carries negative prognostic implications, and therefore management of the neck is a critical topic of…
Introduction In the early 1900s, George Crile recognized that cancer of the head and neck was primarily a locoregional disease and felt that patients could be cured if the cancer was completely excised. The cervical lymph nodes were recognized as…
Introduction Selective neck dissection (SND) is distinguished by the preservation of lymph node groups and nonlymphatic structures that are removed during radical neck dissection. SND is a generic term that applies to a group of procedures named according to the…
Introduction The nodal status of the neck remains one of the most important prognostic factors for overall survival in patients with cancer of the head and neck. The lymphatic drainage of the neck is organized into anatomic compartments ( Fig.…
Introduction Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is primarily used in the head and neck for malignant melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral cavity. The technique is employed to help the surgeon understand the pathologic status of a…
Introduction Many patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) present with metastasis to the cervical lymph nodes. Metastatic carcinoma in the neck without an identifiable primary cancer is defined as a squamous cell carcinoma of the…
Introduction When evaluating a patient with a mass in the head and neck, the fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) plays a critical role in the initial workup. It can help establish a diagnosis, among a wide variety of pathology, including infectious,…