A comparative study of endoscopic assisted lateral neck dissection and open lateral neck dissection in the treatment of cervical lymph node metastasis of papillary thyroid carcinoma

Abstract

Objective:A prospective randomized controlled study of patients with thyroid papillary carcinoma requiring lateral neck dissection was conducted to investigate the thoroughness, safety and cosmetic features of endoscope-assisted lateral neck dissection. Method:Patients who underwent total thyroidectomy, bilateral central lymph node dissection and unilateral lateral neck dissection for papillary thyroid cancer were randomly divided into two groups: endoscopic assisted group and open group, 18 cases in each group. The clinical characteristics, operation conditions, postoperative complications and aesthetic satisfaction of the two groups were compared. Result:There were no statistically significant differences between the endoscopic group and the open group in age, gender, tumor size, dissection side, operation time, postoperative hospital stay, number of lymph nodes to be dissected, number of metastatic lymph nodes, postoperative hoarseness, and hypoparathyroidism（P>0.05）; No hematoma or lymphatic leakage occurred in the two groups after surgery, and no tumor recurrence or residual was found in the ultrasound review at 6 months after surgery. Serum Tg level in the endoscopic group was higher than that in the open group at 6 months after surgery, but the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant（P>0.05）; The neck pain score at day 3 after operation, the neck numbness and discomfort score at month 1 after operation, and the aesthetic satisfaction score at 3 months after operation in the endoscope assisted group were better than that in the open group（P<0.05）. Conclusion:Endoscope-assisted lateral neck dissection is safe, feasible and with excellent cosmetic effect for the treatment of lymph node metastasis in the lateral cervical region of papillary thyroid carcinoma.