ENT, Head and Neck Surgery
Neck Lump Removal in Nigeria
A lump in the neck is removed or sampled so it can be examined. The tests come first, because the cause decides the operation: an enlarged lymph node, a cyst present since childhood, and a salivary or thyroid swelling are each handled differently. Thyroid lumps have their own page.
Also called: Lymph node biopsy, Branchial cyst excision, Thyroglossal cyst excision, Sistrunk operation, Neck swelling surgery
Medically reviewed by Dr Debo Odulana, Founder and Chief Executive, Mezo. Last reviewed . This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Care is decided with you after an examination.
All-in package
From ₦300,000, all-in
Lymph node excision biopsy, day case
Starting price. Cysts are priced below.
What the price covers
- Surgeon and assistant fees
- Anaesthetist and theatre time
- Standard consumables for the operation
- Your bed for the expected stay
- Routine medication while you are admitted
- The post-operative review at six weeks
- Histology on what is removed
What it does not cover
- The first consultation and the tests that confirm you need the operation
- Treating conditions found during work-up, such as uncontrolled diabetes or an untreated infection
- Take-home medication after discharge
- Care for complications needing intensive care or a return to theatre
- The ultrasound and needle test before surgery
- Treatment of the cause once it is known, such as tuberculosis or lymphoma
Related prices
Branchial cyst excision, one night
₦750,000
Thyroglossal cyst excision (Sistrunk operation), one night
₦850,000
What would change this price
- A cyst rather than a lymph node, priced separately above
- A lump that is deeper or larger than the scan suggested
- A salivary gland lump, priced after examination
- A thyroid lump, priced on the thyroid surgery page
If an HMO is paying, the case needs prior authorisation before admission. Bring your HMO number to the first consultation and the desk will start it. If the plan declines, you are told the cash price before anything is booked.
Who this is for
- A lymph node larger than about one and a half centimetres that has lasted more than four to six weeks, or is hard or fixed, where a needle test has not given an answer
- A neck lump with weight loss, night sweats or fever
- A cyst in the middle of the neck that moves when you swallow or stick your tongue out, or one at the side, especially if it has been infected
When it is not the right answer
- A tender node during or just after a throat infection, which usually settles within weeks
- An adult whose mouth and throat have not been examined and whose lump has not had a scan and needle test, because a neck node can be the first sign of a throat cancer that needs a different operation
- An infected cyst, until the infection has settled
The pathway, step by step
- 1
Examination of the neck, mouth and throat₦35,000
With a camera into the throat where needed.
- 2
Ultrasound and a needle test
Often enough for a diagnosis on its own. Surgery follows when it is not, or when the lump should come out anyway.
- 3
The operation
Thirty minutes to two hours under general anaesthetic, through a cut in a skin crease of the neck.
- 4
Home the same day or the next morning
A node biopsy is usually a day case; a cyst usually one night.
- 5
Results and the plan₦25,000
The histology explained, and treatment arranged if the cause needs it.
Recovery, realistically
Days 1 to 3
A sore, stiff neck. Simple painkillers help.
Week 1 to 2
Back to desk work within a week. Stitches out or dissolving.
Weeks after
The scar fades over months. Thickening is treated early if it starts.
Risks you should be told about
- Bleeding or a collection under the wound
- Infection
- Weakness of the corner of the mouth or of the shoulder, from nerve bruising, uncommon and usually temporary
- A cyst coming back, less likely with complete removal
- A scar, and keloid in skin prone to it
Every operation carries risk. A surgeon who lists none is not being straight with you. Yours will go through these with you before you consent.
Questions people ask
Is a neck lump cancer?
Most are not. Enlarged nodes from infection are by far the commonest cause. A lump that persists, grows or comes with weight loss or night sweats is the one that needs answers quickly.
Why not remove it straight away?
Because the cause decides the operation. Cutting into a lump before the scan and needle test can make the right operation harder later.
Could it be tuberculosis?
In Nigeria, yes, tuberculosis of the neck nodes is common. A biopsy confirms it, and it is treated with medicines rather than more surgery.
Prices shown are Mezo cash prices in naira and were last checked on 11 October 2026. They are what you would be quoted for the standard case described here. Your final quote follows an examination, because the right operation for you may not be this one.