Should you perform a neck dissection when pathology can’t distinguish high-grade from intermediate-grade disease? This discussion reveals a practical intraoperative strategy using frozen section analysis of level 2 nodes to make real-time decisions about neck dissection. Learn how to counsel patients facing uncertain staging, when margins truly matter for parotid malignancies versus benign tumors, and how to navigate deep lobe cases that threaten both adequate resection and facial nerve preservation. If you’ve ever second-guessed your surgical plan mid-case, this conversation offers immediately applicable insights.
Contributors:
Dr. Ashley Agan is an otolaryngologist in Dallas, TX.
Dr. Mirabelle Sajisevi is an ENT practicing at University of Vermont Health in Burlington, Vermont.
Dr. Gopi Shah is a pediatric otolaryngologist and the co-host of BackTable ENT.
