Complications in neck dissection

Complications following 186 neck dissections in 171 patients are reported. Major surgical complications occurred after 8 neck dissections; minor surgical after 52 and medical complications after 13. Preoperative radiotherapy did not seem to influence the complication rate. 16 of 21 patients with recurrences in the neck had extranodal spread histologically. 76% of the recurrences occurred within a year and proved fatal in nearly all patients. Preservation of the spinal accessory nerve did not increase the recurrence rate.