Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 20, 2025
Transoral Robotic Total Thyroidectomy and Bilateral Central Regional Lymph Node Dissection for Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma
Published on: September 15, 2023
Quality Indicators of Central Compartment Neck Dissection in Thyroid Surgery
Alexandra E Quimby1, Martin J Corsten2, Elysia Grose3
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Objectives:
Quality metrics are an increasingly important means of improving patient care. Variability in the number of lymph nodes removed during central compartment lymph node dissection (CCLND) at the time of thyroidectomy has not been studied.
Study Design:
A retrospective cohort study was performed using American College of Surgeons National Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) data.
Setting:
Centers in North America and worldwide contributing data to ACS-NSQIP and performing thyroidectomy on adults in inpatient and outpatient settings were included.
Subjects And Methods:
Adult patients undergoing thyroidectomy with or without CCLND were included. Outcomes of interest were number of nodes removed during CCLND and risks of postoperative hypocalcemia.
Results:
In total, 6108 patients met inclusion criteria (1565 with CCLND). The median number of lymph nodes removed during CCLND was 2. There was no statistically significant association between postoperative hypocalcemia and CCNLD, regardless of number of nodes removed. However, we were underpowered to detect this association based on the overall low nodal yield of many CCLNDs performed.
Conclusion:
In many cases where CCLND is documented as part of thyroidectomy, very few lymph nodes are removed. Our ability to draw conclusions regarding the effect of CCLND on postoperative hypocalcemia is restricted due to the limited nature of many CCLNDs performed.
