Cervical neck dissection without drains in well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma

This study aims to review the safety of thyroidectomy combined with cervical neck dissection without drainage in well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma (WDTC). The medical records of consecutive patients who underwent thyroidectomy without drainage for WDTC were retrospectively reviewed. Group 1 included 123 patients who underwent thyroidectomy with central neck dissection and Group 2 included 46 patients who underwent thyroidectomy with central and lateral neck dissection. One hundred twenty-seven patients underwent thyroidectomy without neck dissection and were included in Group 3. Overall, 16 patients (5%) developed postoperative hematoma and/or seroma, seven patients (6%) in the Group 1, three patients (7%) in the Group 2, and six patients (5%) in Group 3. All patients had minor bleeding or seroma not requiring surgical intervention. Overall, 68 patients (23%) had transient postoperative hypocalcaemia, and four patients(1%) had permanent hypoparathyroidism. Seventeen patients (6%) had transient postoperative hoarseness and three had permanent vocal cord paralysis (0.6%). The postoperative stay for all groups was 1 day in 91 per cent of the cases. Patients from Groups 1 and 2 had no increased perioperative local complications or length of stay as compared with Group 3. Cervical neck dissection and thyroidectomy without drains is safe and effective in the treatment of WDTC.