Meta-analysis of the influence of prophylactic central lymph node dissection on the prognosis of patients with thyroid micropapillary carcinoma

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of prophylactic central neck dissection (pCND) in papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC). Method: The PubMed, EMbase, Web of Knowledge, CBM, Wanfang, and CNKI databases were searched, and controlled trials and cohort studies of central lymph node dissection for cervical cancer in PTMC surgery were collected. The search time was from the establishment of the library to September 2018. Meta-analysis was performed on 4 articles that met the inclusion criteria to calculate the relative risk. Result: A total of 1 169 cases were included in 4 retrospective cohort studies. In addition to conventional thyroidectomy, pCND reduced the risk of local recurrence and did not increase the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injury (temporary or permanent), the incidence of permanent hypocalcemia. Postoperative temporary hypocalcemia is more common after surgery with pCND.Conclusion: Prophylactic central lymph node dissection reduces local recurrence rates without increasing long-term complications compared with thyroid and tumor resection alone.