[Classification of the neck dissections]

The distribution of the neck surgery dissections proposed by the Academy Committee for Head Neck Surgery and Oncology, Education of the Head Neck Surgery (year 1991) was discussed in this paper. The authors are in the agreement with proposed distribution and strongly recommend its implementation in Poland. The standard radical neck dissection according to Crile was accepted as the base of this distribution. Neck dissection similar to Crile's operation but with saving up important anatomical structures (n. XI., vena jugularis int., m.scm) was called modified radical neck dissection (type I-III). Excision of the lymphatic system from the well-defined regions of the neck with saving up nonlymphatic structures and/or group of lymphatic system same in Crile's operation with additional nonlymphatic structures and/or another lymphatic nodules nonmentioned in Crile's operation is called enlarged radical neck dissection.