Two cases of lymphorrhea following radical neck dissection successfully treated with negative pressure wound therapy

Abstract

We report two cases of lymphorrhea after neck dissection (ND) successfully treated with negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT). The first was a case of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the left buccal mucosa with cervical lymph node metastasis (T2N2bM0) in a 71-year-old man. Lymphorrhea was continuously seen after ND. Ligation of the lymphorrhea site was thus performed when hemostasis was carried out for abnormal bleeding caused by rupture of the anastomotic vessel 12 days after ND. Lymphorrhea, however, continued after re-operation and NPWT was thus applied. One week later, lymphorrhea disappeared completely. The second was a case of late nodal metastasis of the tongue SCC in a 64-year-old man. Lymphorrhea continued for 15 days after ND. NPWT was thus used for 26 days, and lymphorrhea disappeared completely. These results suggest that NPWT could be a useful conservative treatment for lymphorrhea after ND.