Neck

Dear patient,
Every surgical procedure (operation) may involve:
– with consequences that are the result of the disease or treatment (can occur at any stage of diagnosis and treatment)
– with complications which, although not due to an error, are undesirable events (occur with different frequency).

After surgery to remove a side neck cyst, the following consequences or complications may occur :

Frequent but harmless

• Early bleeding from the postoperative wound requiring revision
• Late bleeding
• Swelling, bruising, pain in the neck area
• Emphysema in the neck
• Irritation, swollen neck muscles and restricted mobility
• Large-area nerve damage and lower-area sensory disturbance
• Rarely: the need for sternoclavicular-pulmonary artery resection with subsequent deformation of the neck contour
• Rarely: need for internal jugular vein resection (when it is in adhesion with a cyst)
• Very rare: lower pole of parotid gland injury and worse wound healing

Rare, but much more serious

• Very rarely, bleeding after surgery can cause the hematoma to grow and swelling in the larynx, even exceptionally, it may require an urgent tracheotomy (a breathing hole in the middle of the neck).
• Sublingual nerve paresis with restricted tongue mobility
• Pain in the facial marginal nerve branch and falling of the mouth angle

Very rarely:

• Vagus, laryngeal retrograde or diaphragmatic nerve paresis, which may result in hoarseness or dyspnea
• Extra nerve paresis and difficulties in lifting the arm
• Shoulder plexus nerve paresis with pain and restriction of shoulder mobility
• Massive bleeding from the internal jugular vein requiring the wound to be tamponed on the neck

The following consequences or complications may occur after the middle neck cyst surgery

Frequent but harmless

• Bleeding after surgery, requiring revision of the wound
• Oedema, bruising, pain in the operated area Subcutaneous pneumothorax in the neck
• Resumption of the cyst or formation of a postoperative skin fistula

Rare, but much more serious

• Very rarely, bleeding after the procedure may cause the hematoma to build up and swelling in the larynx, even exceptionally, it may require an urgent tracheotomy (a breathing hole in the front of the neck)
• Very rare: paralysis of vocal folds
• Very rarely: sore throat and pharyngeal fistula

The following consequences or complications may occur after middle neck fistula surgery

Frequent but harmless

• Bleeding after surgery, requiring revision of the wound
• Swelling, bruising, pain in the operated area
• Subcutaneous emphysema in the neck
• Rare, but much more serious fistulas

Very seldom

• Bleeding after the procedure may cause the hematoma to build up and swelling in the larynx, even exceptionally, it may require an urgent tracheotomy (a breathing hole in the anterior part of the neck)
• vocal fold paralysis
• lower throat and throat fistula

After each extensive surgical procedure, a serious general complication may occur:  Pneumonia, embolisms and venous clots, stroke, systemic infection, myocardial infarction, respiratory failure and death.