Neck node dissection in thyroid cancer. A review

thyroid cancer recurs most commonly in one or more cervical lymph nodes. Surgical treatment for differentiated or medullary thyroid carcinoma consists of total thyroidectomy (TT). The aim is to elucidate the potential benefits and drawbacks of neck dissection TT related.

differences between therapeutic and prophylactic neck dissection were analysed to prevent post-operative morbidity, neck recurrences and improve survival.

there is considerable controversy regarding the treatment of patients with cervical node metastases specially in differentiated thyroid cancer. Considering that a neck dissection might help to reduce local recurrence, especially in medullary carcinoma, controversial remains regarding the modality and extension of cervical dissection. There are several surgical strategies to cervical lymphadenectomy as a prophylactic node dissection or a dissection only in symptomatic patients or the "node-picking" technique for selective lymphadenectomy or sentinel node biopsy. So it is possible to employ several kind of neck-node compartment related dissection. The risk of iatrogenic lesion during neck dissection is relatively high specially for nerve structures (i.e.: recurrent laryngeal nerve or spinal accessory nerve), so an experienced surgeon must mind the risk is higher during a re-operation in an anatomical subverted region.

the extent of dissection and the experience of the surgeon both play important roles in determining the risk of surgical complications and recurrence. The decision to add neck dissection to total thyroidectomy weighed against documented benefits and risks. Injuries may also occur as a result of inadequate technique or as a result of poor expertise of the surgeon. We believe that deep knowledge of the thyroid region's surgical anatomy is necessary to realize a skilled and careful surgery of the neck.