Your Recovery
A neck dissection is surgery to remove all or some of the lymph nodes and surrounding tissue from the neck. Lymph nodes are small, round or bean-shaped glands that act like filters. They remove germs from your body, help fight infection, and trap cancer cells. This surgery is most often done to treat cancer of the head and neck.
You may leave the hospital with stitches in your cut (incision). Your doctor will tell you if you need to return to have these removed. You may still have a tube called a drain in your neck. Your doctor will probably take this out a few days after your surgery.
The area may also be swollen, and you may have a stiff neck. For most people, the swelling starts to go away 4 to 5 days after surgery. You may have numbness in your neck and ear. Your lower lip or shoulder may feel weak. For most people, these problems go away in 6 to 12 months. But sometimes these problems can be permanent. You may always feel a little numb, stiff, or weak in some areas.
If a neck muscle was removed, your neck may look flatter or thinner.
If you have cancer, you may still need other treatment after surgery, such as radiation or chemotherapy.
This care sheet gives you a general idea about how long it will take for you to recover. But each person recovers at a different pace. Follow the steps below to get better as quickly as possible.
Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety. Be sure to make and go to all appointments, and call your doctor or nurse advice line (811 in most provinces and territories) if you are having problems. It's also a good idea to know your test results and keep a list of the medicines you take.
Where can you learn more?
Go to https://www.healthwise.net/patientEd
Enter D688 in the search box to learn more about "Neck Dissection: What to Expect at Home".