Neck dissection after twice‐a‐day radiotherapy: Morbidity and recurrence rates

Abstract

Between March 1978 and April 1986, 56 patients underwent planned unilateral, and five patients underwent planned bilateral, radical neck dissections following high‐dose twice‐a‐day radiotherapy, usually with ⁶⁰Co. Neck dissections were generally performed 6 weeks after radiotherapy. The overall rate of control of disease in the neck in all 61 patients was 81% at 5 years. Patients who underwent neck dissections following radiotherapy had significantly higher rates of heck‐disease control than patients treated by radiotherapy alone during the same time period for stages N2A‐N3A and N2B‐N3B, but not for N1 disease. No carotid ruptures or fatal complications occurred. The rate of wound complications was judged to be acceptable.