Application of supraomohyoid neck dissection via retroauricular hairline incision in patients with oral cancer

Objective: To explore the application of supraomohyoid neck dissection via retroauricular hairline incision in patients with oral cancer, thereby providing a basis for the surgical treatment of patients with oral cancer in clinical practice. Methods: A total of 68 patients with oral cancer who met the inclusion criteria and exclusion criteria were included in our hospital from August 2018 to June 2020. According to the random number table method, they were divided into the experimental group (34 cases), in which patients underwent supraomohyoid neck dissection via retroauricular hairline incision, and control group (34 cases), in which patients received neck dissection. Results: The operation time was significantly longer and the intraoperative bleeding was significantly less in the experimental group compared with those in the control group (both P < 0.05). No significant differences in postoperative drainage, number of detected lymph nodes and length of hospital stay were detected between the two groups. One month after surgery, the scores of pains, muscle strength, range of motion and daily activities were significantly higher in the experimental group than those in the control group (all P < 0.05). Three months after surgery, the scores of pains, muscle strength, range of motion and daily activities were higher compared with those at one month after surgery in both groups, and these scores in the experimental group were higher than those in the control group (all P < 0.05). In addition, the scores of shoulder function, language, deglutition, chew, work, entertainment, activity of daily living, facial features, pain and degree of satisfaction to the scars in the experimental group were significantly higher than those in the control group one month after surgery (all P < 0.05). Conclusion: Supraomohyoid neck dissection via retroauricular hairline incision can reduce the amount of intraoperative bleeding in patients with oral cancer, is beneficial to the recovery of shoulder joint function, improves the patient's quality of life and the degree of satisfaction to the scars, reduces the occurrence of related complications. It has relatively high safety and is worthy of clinical application and promotion. (c) 2021 Japanese Society of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Inc. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.