Consensus statement on the classification and terminology of neck dissection.

OBJECTIVE To update the guidelines for neck dissection terminology, as previously recommended by the American Head and Neck Society. PARTICIPANTS Committee for Neck Dissection Classification, American Head and Neck Society; representation from the Committee for Head and Neck Surgery and Oncology, American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (T.A.D.). EVIDENCE Review of current literature on neck dissection classification. CONSENSUS PROCESS Semiannual face-to-face meetings of the Committee for Neck Dissection Terminology and e-mail correspondence. CONCLUSIONS Standardization of terminology for neck dissection is important for communication among clinicians and researchers. New recommendations have been made regarding the following: boundaries between levels I and II and between levels III/IV and VI; terminology of the superior mediastinal nodes; and the method of submitting surgical specimens for pathologic analysis.