Clinical Significance of Central Neck Lymph Node Dissection in Patients with Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

[Purpose] To investigate the value of central neck lymph node dissection for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) clinically node-negative (CN 0 ). [Methods]One hundred seventy-eight cases underwent central neck dissection from January 2010 to June 2011 were enrolled in this study. Ipsilateral neck functional dissection was performed in 67 cases. The safety of central neck dissection was assessed and the related factors of the central and lateral neck lymph node metastasis were analyzed. [Results]Central neck dissection did not significantly increase the occurrence of complications,and the incidence rate of central neck lymph nodes metastasis was 44.4% . The metastasis of central neck lymph nodes related to the primary tumor size,while lateral neck lymph metastasis related to the number of positive lymph nodes in central neck. [Conclusions] The central lymph node dissection is a convenient and safe operation,which could make some people avoid from the lateral neck dissection. It should be performed as a routine operation in the treatment for CN 0 papillary thyroid carcinoma.