[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.

CONCLUSION: 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.