PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Danish, Muhammad Hassan
AU  - Iftikhar, Haissan
AU  - Ikram, Mubasher
TI  - Dual spinal accessory nerve: caution during neck dissection
AID  - 10.1136/bcr-2020-235487
DP  - 2020 Jun 01
TA  - BMJ Case Reports
PG  - e235487
VI  - 13
IP  - 6
4099  - http://casereports.bmj.com/content/13/6/e235487.short
4100  - http://casereports.bmj.com/content/13/6/e235487.full
SO  - BMJ Case Reports2020 Jun 01; 13
AB  - Preserving the spinal accessory nerve (SAN) is an important step in the modern-day neck dissection to avoid postoperative functional morbidity in patients. This goal can become technically difficult, especially, when rare anatomical variations are encountered. We present a case of dual SAN in a patient undergoing selective neck dissection for oral squamous cell carcinoma. Both SANs were preserved and patient had no shoulder dysfunction postoperatively. We take this opportunity to emphasise that meticulous dissection is the only proven way to preserve the nerve. And that surgeons should be aware of this anatomical variation. SAN should be subjected to minimal traction during neck dissection to avoid tension neuropraxia and long-term shoulder dysfunction.