Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to investigate whether age is a significant risk factor for spinal nerve injury following selective neck dissection (SND) in patients with head and neck cancer. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients who had undergone SND for head and neck cancer at a tertiary hospital between 2020 and 2022. The primary outcome was the incidence of spinal nerve injury after SND. The secondary outcomes included the types and severity of spinal nerve injury and the impact of age on these outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 78 patients were included in the study and subdivided into two groups. Two shoulder-specific questionnaires (the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) and the Shoulder Disability Questionnaire (SDQ)) were administered to assess shoulder morbidity postoperatively. Twelve patients showed shoulder impairment following surgery. We divided the sample into two age-based groups; the older group showed a higher rate of SAN injury and the younger group showed a lower rate of improvement over time. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that age is a significant risk factor for spinal nerve injury following SND in patients with head and neck cancer. Older patients are more likely to experience spinal nerve injury after SND than younger patients. The findings of this study may help in the development of strategies to prevent spinal nerve injury in older patients undergoing SND for head and neck cancer.