Multifunctional conservative neck dissection for well-differentiated carcinoma of thyroid

The outcome of patients operated for well-differentiated carcinoma of thyroid is excellent.Most patients with Ⅰ to Ⅲ stage thyroid caner is generally performed for the functional neck dissection,which remained the sternocleidomastoid muscle,internal jugular vein and accessory nerve,socalled" tricon serves". Over a long period of practical work,the author has been trying out and accumulating the method and experience of conserved other organic functions.During the period from August 1991 to October 1997, a total of 105 patients with well-differentiated carcinoma of thyroid gland were underwent the multifunctional conservative neck dissection (3 of 105 patients were performed bilateral neck dissection). Besides remained the functions of traditional conservative dissection,we remained the great auricular nerve (108 cases), lesser occipital nerve (41 cases), transverse artery of neck(58 cases), external jugular vein (10 cases) and eapezius musclocutaneous of supraclvicular nerves (7 cases) in operations.Author laid special stress on describing the methods and trchniques that functions of each organic were remaind, and approacned a time limit and influential factors that functions of the great auricular and lesser occipital nerve recovered from operation.