[Evaluation of lymph node dissection in the central neck area in managing thyroid microcarcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate lymph node dissection in the central neck area to treat micro-sized thyroid carcinoma.


METHODS
The clinical data of 65 surgically treated thyroid microcarcinoma patients in our hospital were retrospectively reviewed.


RESULTS
In this series, the positive metastasis rate of cervical lymph node was 40%. A total of 62 patients had been followed up until the data were reviewed. None was found to be dead nor having distant metastasis. Five patients were re-operated due to countralateral lobe meatstasis 3 years after initial operation, 2 of them had developed para-tracheal lymph node metastasis; another 2 cases underwent functional neck lymph node dissection due to lymph node metastasis on the operated side 2 years later.


CONCLUSIONS
Thyroidectomy with lymph node dissection of the central neck area is more effective than the thyroidectomy alone for managing thyroid microcarcinoma. It can improve the quality of life and survival through reducing cervical lymph node metastasis.
Ye
Guo-chao
GC
Department of Surgical Oncology, Huzhou Central Hospital, Huzhou 313000, China.
Yuan
Wen-bin
WB
Liu
Li-wei
LW
D018263:Adenocarcinoma, Follicular / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D037981:Neck Dissection / Q000379:methods*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome