Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 4, 2026
04:01
Transoral Robotic Total Thyroidectomy and Bilateral Central Regional Lymph Node Dissection for Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma
Published on: September 15, 2023
1.9K
Lateral neck dissection for well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma: a systematic review
Arin L Madenci1, Diana Caragacianu, Jacob O Boeckmann
1Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston.
The Laryngoscope
|January 7, 2014
Summary
Lateral neck dissection (LND) for well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma (WDTC) shows mixed results for survival and recurrence. Routine prophylactic LND lacks a clear benefit-to-risk advantage in current evidence.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Surgical Oncology
- Head and Neck Surgery
Background:
- Management of the lateral neck in well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma (WDTC) is debated.
- The role of lateral neck dissection (LND) in WDTC requires further clarification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the impact of LND on survival, recurrence, and complication rates in WDTC patients.
- To compare outcomes between WDTC patients who undergo LND versus those who do not.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of MEDLINE and manual searches from 1966 to October 2012.
- Evaluation of 924 studies using a priori criteria.
- Independent data extraction focusing on survival, recurrence, and complications.
Main Results:
- Analysis of 47 studies with 24,153 participants.
- Limited data for N0 neck showed no difference in disease-free survival (DFS) or recurrence with LND.
- Data for N+ neck were mixed; majority of studies with mixed/unreported nodal status showed no significant difference in survival or recurrence.
Conclusions:
- Evidence on the impact of LND on survival, recurrence, and complications in WDTC is inconclusive.
- Routine prophylactic LND for WDTC does not demonstrate a favorable risk-to-benefit ratio.
