[Application of lymphatic mapping to recognize and protect parathyroid in thyroid carcinoma surgery by using carbon nanoparticles].

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the role of carbon nanoparticles in the protection of parathyroid during thyroid carcinoma surgery.

METHOD: Seventy-two patients with thyroid carcinoma who had initial surgery were randomly divided into two groups: carbon nanoparticles group and the control group. Emulsion of carbon nanoparticles was injected into the thyroid gland of carbon nanoparticles group patients. After thirty minutes,the excision of thyroid carcinoma and VI group neck dissection were performed in carbon nanoparticles group patients, the control group directly underwent operation. The black stained tissue in the dissection specimen of carbon nanoparticles group was separated. The number of total lymph node,metastasis lymph node and parathyroid gland in the tissure black stained or not in two groups were counted respectively.

RESULTS: There were 312 lymph nodes in the black stained tissue of central compartment dissection specimen of carbon nanoparticles group. No parathyroid gland was found in the black stained tissue. Fifteen lymph nodes containing four parathyroid glands were found in the non black stained tissue in carbon nanoparticles group while there were 202 lymph nodes containing 13 parathyroid glands in the control group. There were statistical difference between the amount of lymph node in black stain tissue and the specimen of the control group. Parathyroid glands were not stained black,and no parathyroid gland was found in the black-stained tissue.

CONCLUSION: The carbon nanoparticles could be used to identify the lymph node and the parathyroid gland for protecting the parathyroid gland in thyroid surgery.