[Clinical analysis of bilateral neck dissection in patients with laryngeal cancer]

The clinical materials of 54 cases with laryngeal cancer treated between 1980 and 1995 were retrospectively analysed. All patients had received bilateral neck dissection. The results indicated that if one internal jugular vein was preserved, bilateral neck dissection was safe and no fatal complications occur. In this series, most patients were of T3 and T4. The 3 and 5 year survival rates were 62% and 52% respectively. Cervical recurrence was the main reason for the deaths. It is suggested that for patients with advanced supraglottic laryngeal carcinoma, bilateral neck dissections are often needed, functional neck dissection, with preservation of at least one internal jugular vein is the best choice.