Nodal yield in selective neck dissection

The total lymph node yield in neck dissection is highly variable and depends on anatomical, surgical and pathological parameters. A minimum yield of six lymph nodes for a selective neck dissection (SND) as recommended in guidelines lies in the lower range of the reported clinical nodal yields. A future application of a lymph node ratio may improve the risk stratification of head and neck cancer patients. However, this will require a higher number of retrieved lymph nodes.