Neck Dissection

Robotic Neck Dissection

Robotic surgery is revolutionising neck dissection or neck lymph node removal that is an essential part of oral and tongue cancer surgery.  Neck dissection can be performed by conventional open method or by laparoscopy or Robotically (Minimally Invassive Neck Dissection-MIND). Robotic & Laproscopic cancer surgery has several advantages over conventional open surgery with same cure rate. Only surgery is curative in most of oral and tongue cancers. Additional therapies (chemotherapy & radiotherapy) are mostly supportive. This technique developed by Dr Sandeep Nayak has helped many patients in pain-free quick recovery and scar-free life. When we perform robotic neck node dissection the most of the time patients are discharged on 2nd or 3rd day after surgery which is less than half the time compared to open surgery.

open surgery wound vs laparoscopic surgery wound
Dr. Sandeep Nayak

DR. SANDEEP NAYAK

MBBS, MRCSEd, DNB (Gen Surg),
MNAMS (Gen Surg), DNB (Surgical Oncology),

Fellowship in Laparoscopic and Robotic Onco-Surgery.
Dr Nayak is one of the leading senior Surgical Oncologists (cancer surgeon) of Bangalore. He is one of the pioneers of Laproscopic (laparoscopic) cancer treatment (surgery). He is the Director of Surgical Oncology at Fortis Hospital, Bangalore.

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DR ATHIRA RAMAKRISHNAN

DR ATHIRA RAMAKRISHNAN

MBBS, MS Surgery

  • EDUCATION
    MBBS: JIPMER 2000-2005
    MS ENT: PGIMER, CHANDIGARH 2006-2009
    DNB : ENT
  • Fellowship in ENT,
    Head and neck surgery,
    Mazumdar Shaw Cancer Centre
DR. ABHILASHA SADHOO

DR. ABHILASHA SADHOO

MBBS, MS, Fellow in Head and Neck oncology

  • EDUCATION
    MBBS from Government Medical college,Jammu(J & K)
    MS ENT from Governemt Medical college,Jammu(J & K)
    Fellowship in Head and Neck oncology , Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology
  • WORK EXPERIENCE
    Assistant surgeon in Kidwai Memorial hospital
    INTEREST
    Head & Neck Onco, TORS

The Advantages Of Robotic & Laparoscopic Surgery Over Conventional Open Surgery Include

What Is Neck Dissection ?

Surgical removal of lymph nodes of neck is called neck dissection. The lymph nodes of neck have been grouped into six levels on each side of neck. The level that needs to be removed depends on the type of cancer and extent of cancer involvement. Various names have been used to describe the extent of removal: Radical Neck Dissection, modified radical neck dissections, functional neck dissection, selective neck dissection and extended neck dissection. All these are variations of the same procedure with only changing in the number of levels removed.

neck muscles

When Is Neck Dissection Needed ?

Neck dissection is needed for various cancers in order to give better cure. The most common cancers in which this is required are oral (mouth) cancers, salivary gland cancers (parotid, submandibular, etc.) and thyroid cancers. Neck dissection is usually performed at the same sitting along with the surgical removal of main cancer.

Cancers that occur in any part of mouth are medically called oral cancers. In most of the oral cancers, neck dissection is necessary even when there is no proven spread to the neck nodes. This is in-order-to stay ahead of the disease and to prevent it from recurring. Where there is spread to lymph nodes neck dissection is always needed.

Thyroid cancers are tough less aggressive than other cancers. Neck dissection is needed only in selected cases. The dissection usually includes level 2 to 5 and level 6.

How Are Neck Dissections Performed?

Conventional open surgery: It involves different incisions over neck depending on surgeons’ preference and requirement of the disease. Larger incisions are needed when lymph nodes of entire neck has to be dissected. All these incisions leave a bad scar over the neck.

Robotic or Endoscopic (Laparoscopic)- Minimally Invasive Neck Dissection (MIND): In this procedure, the surgeons accesses the neck via 3-4 small incisions near the color bone. This technique has helped more than 200 patients till date. The technique which is described by Dr Sandeep Nayak has been published in reputed surgical journals. The greatest advantage of MIND is the small wounds placed away from neck that helps quick healing and recovery. No wound-related problem. Patient is discharged and goes home much earlier than that is possible with open surgery. The next treatment like radiotherapy that is needed in some cases, can start very early leading to best cancer-related result.

neck dissection