Kat,

My neck dissection was probably the least difficult part of my treatment. While it is major surgery (and involves all of the up-front cautionary language from the hospital about potential risks), I think many of the people here who have had one have had fairly minor long-term effects. I did have some numbness for awhile in the incision area until the nerves regenerated, and it's possible to have some range-of-motion problems in the neck and shoulder, at least temporarily.

If you do have one, I'd advise having someone who is skilled in plastic surgery do the closing, as it can make the resulting scar much less visible over time.

Cathy