Modified radical neck dissection for metastatic carcinoma of the thyroid. A reappraisal

From January 1958 through December 1983, 56 modified radical neck dissections were performed on 47 patients with metastases to the cervical nodes from differentiated carcinomas of the thyroid. In nine patients, a second modified radical neck dissection was performed either simultaneously or at a later date. Lymph node clearance was performed on all but one surgical specimen. The number of nodes in each specimen ranged from 10 to 96, and the number of involved nodes ranged from 1 to 20. Thirty-eight of the 56 neck specimens contained four or more positive nodes. Seventeen patients were followed for 10 to 26 years, 18 patients for 5 to 9 years, and 5 patients for less than 5 years. Seven other patients died, three from other causes and four from lung metastases. There were no recurrences in the neck sides that would have been cleared if standard radical neck dissection had been performed. This reappraisal with long-term follow-up supports our initial impression that a modified radical neck dissection sparing the spinal accessory nerve, the sternocleidomastoid muscle, the internal jugular vein, or any combination thereof is an effective procedure for differentiated cancer of the thyroid, with preservation of good shoulder function and improvement in the cosmetic appearance of the neck.