Thoracic recurrent laryngeal nerve lymph node metastasis guides the cervical lymph node dissection of patients with esophageal cancer

Abstract

Three-field lymph node dissection improved the postoperative survival and accuracy of pathological staging of patients with esophageal cancer, and reduced the postoperative local recurrence rate of esophageal cancer patients. However, this surgical procedure enlarged the trauma, cansed more complications, prolonged postoperative hospital stays, and seriously impaired the postoperative adjuvant therapy. Therefore, selection of patients who are suitable for three-field lymph node dissection is extremely important. The special anatomical location of recurrent laryngeal nerve lymph nodes is potentially suitable for it to serve as sentinel lymph node for the evacuation of cervical lymph nodes dissection in esophageal cancer. The guiding value of recurrent laryngeal nerve lymph node metastasis in cervical lymph node dissection of thoracic esophageal cancer is reviewed.