Head and Neck Surgery
The head and neck contain the thyroid, the salivary glands, the larynx, hundreds of lymph nodes and the muscles and vessels that surround them. Head and neck surgery is the unit that investigates and, where needed, operates on swellings, cysts and masses in any of these tissues. A neck lump that is still there after two to three weeks should be assessed.
Our contracted head and neck surgeons in İstanbul remove neck masses, thyroglossal duct cysts and branchial cleft cysts, take out enlarged lymph nodes for diagnosis, shorten the elongated styloid process in Eagle syndrome and perform neck dissection when a cancer has reached the lymph nodes. The unit works closely with our thyroid, salivary gland, larynx and oral cavity service lines.
As an international patient you send your neck ultrasound, any biopsy result and earlier scans or reports first. The surgeon reviews them and proposes a plan before you travel, so that the visit itself is short and a diagnosis that is still open is settled quickly on arrival.
Conditions treated
- Neck lumps and masses of unclear cause
- Enlarged lymph nodes that need a biopsy or removal
- Thyroglossal duct cyst (midline neck cyst)
- Branchial cleft cyst (cyst at the side of the neck)
- Eagle syndrome (elongated styloid process)
- Cancer that has spread to the neck lymph nodes
Procedures performed
The unit where swellings, cysts, tumours, inflammation and masses of the thyroid and parathyroid glands, the larynx and its cartilages, the neck muscles and the other tissues of the head and neck region are diagnosed and surgically treated.
What to expect
The four stages every international patient goes through with us.
- 01
Consultation and diagnostics
A head and neck examination including endoscopy of the throat, ultrasound of the neck and, where a lump needs a diagnosis, an ultrasound-guided fine-needle biopsy. CT or MRI is added for deeper masses. If you already have these, the surgeon reviews them remotely and tells you what, if anything, needs repeating in İstanbul.
- 02
Surgery
Performed under general anaesthesia through an incision placed along a natural skin crease of the neck. Removing a cyst or a single lymph node usually takes about an hour; a neck dissection, in which the lymph nodes of one or both sides are cleared while nerves and vessels are preserved, takes longer.
- 03
Hospital stay
Usually one night after a cyst or lymph node removal and two to three nights after a neck dissection. A drain, if one was placed, is removed before discharge, and you are shown how to care for the wound.
- 04
Follow-up from home
Wound review and the pathology result within about a week; if it shows a cancer, the next steps are planned together with your oncology team at home. After a neck dissection you receive simple shoulder exercises to keep the joint mobile. Our team stays in contact after you return.
Typical timeline
- Hospital stay
- 1–3 nights
- Stay in İstanbul
- 7–10 days
- Back to desk work
- 1–2 weeks
Typical ranges for an uncomplicated case. Your surgeon confirms your own plan after reviewing your reports.
Performed at
Contracted practices in İstanbul whose own treatment lists include this work.
Common questions
Is a lump in the neck always cancer?
No. Many neck lumps are benign: reactive lymph nodes after an infection, cysts that have been present since birth, or swollen salivary glands. A lump that persists for more than two to three weeks, keeps growing or is hard and painless does need assessment, because some are the first sign of a cancer in the throat, thyroid or elsewhere, and an earlier diagnosis widens the treatment options.
What does a neck dissection involve, and will my shoulder be stiff afterwards?
A neck dissection removes the lymph nodes of one or both sides of the neck, together with the tissue they lie in, when a cancer has spread there or is likely to. The nerve to the shoulder muscle runs through this area; the surgeon preserves it wherever possible, but temporary stiffness or weakness when lifting the arm is common and usually improves with the exercises you are given. Some numbness of the neck skin is expected and fades over months.
What should I send before I travel?
Your neck ultrasound report, any biopsy or pathology result, CT or MRI images if they have been taken, a short summary of your medical history and current medication and, if the lump is visible, a photograph of the neck. The surgeon reviews these and tells you whether anything needs repeating in İstanbul and how long to plan for.
General information, not medical advice. Your treatment plan is set by the operating surgeon after reviewing your reports.