Metastasis of right upper para-esophageal lymph nodes in central compartment lymph node dissection of papillary thyroid cancer.

Abstract

Although some lymph nodes (upper para-esophageal lymph nodes) that exist between the right recurrent laryngeal nerve and the esophagus should be involved in central-compartment lymph node dissection (CLND) in patients with papillary thyroid cancer, the procedure can cause some injury to the nerve. We set out to assess the incidence of right upper para-esophageal lymph node metastasis after routine CLND. Records from 123 patients with PTC who underwent total thyroidectomy with CLND were reviewed. Fourteen of 123 patients exhibited nodal metastasis in right upper para-esophageal lymph nodes. Metastasis of right upper para-esophageal lymph nodes was usually associated with lesions of the right thyroid, comparatively large tumor size (more than 1 cm), and lateral cervical lymph node metastasis (p < 0.05). Right upper para-esophageal lymph nodes should be removed during operation for PTC in patients with lesions of the right thyroid gland, large tumor size, and lateral cervical lymph node metastasis.