title: Routine central compartment lymph node dissection for patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The role of routine central compartment neck dissection in papillary thyroid cancer is controversial.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective medical record review was conducted of 83 patients with papillary thyroid cancer who received either total or hemithyroidectomy and central compartment lymphadenectomy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Positive central compartment node metastases were found in approximately equal rates between older and younger patients (38.9% and 42.6%, respectively; Fisher's exact test; p = .82). The primary tumor was a microcarcinoma (1 cm or less) in 32 patients (38.5%). Positive central compartment node metastases were detected in 31.3% of patients with microcarcinomas, compared with 47.1% of patients with tumors greater than 1 cm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Younger and older patients had approximately equal rates of central compartment lymph node metastasis. There was also a similar rate of metastasis between microcarcinomas and larger tumors. Our results document that central compartment lymph node dissection is a safe operation and may decrease the need for further operations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA. dik2002@med.cornell.edu
authors.forename: David I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Kutler
authors.forename: Audrey D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Crummey
authors.forename: William I
authors.initials: WI
authors.lastname: Kuhel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002277:Carcinoma; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008197:Lymph Node Excision / Q000379:methods*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000077273:Thyroid Cancer, Papillary; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes