Reconstruction of spinal accessory nerve after radical neck dissection

Resection of the spinal accessory nerve in cases of radical neck dissection often causes considerable damage to the function of the shoulder girdle; it leads to limitation of the motion of the upper limb and pain in the shoulder girdle. It seems a sensible compromise to reconstruct the spinal accessory nerve in one-stage operation with radical neck dissection, which can often prevent extensive atrophy of the trapezius muscle, with a resultant improvement in the chance of successful rehabilitation. The technique of the operation is described: after completion of radical neck dissection, in one-stage operation an autogenous nerve transplant from the n. auricularis magnus is sewn onto the central and peripheral stumps of the spinal accessory nerve, which are protected by a "vein-muff" and the fascia of the muscle. After such spinal accessory nerve reconstruction, subjective complaints and objective symptoms were much milder in 6 patients than in the control group, which consisted of 10 patients who underwent a similar operation but without spinal accessory nerve reconstruction.