Abstract

VASQUEZ CIRIACO, Sergio et al. Assessment of morbidity of central neck compartment dissection in papillary thyroid cancer. Cir. gen [online]. 2011, vol.33, n.2, pp.111-114. ISSN 1405-0099.

Objective: To assess hypocalcemia and injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve secondary to total thyroidectomy plus central compartment dissection in papillary thyroid cancer. Setting: National Institute of Cancerology, Mexico Design: Descriptive, observational, retrospective, prospective, longitudinal clinical study. Statistical analysis: Percentages as summary measure for qualitative variables. Patients and methods: Twenty-four patients with diagnosis of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), established by cytology and histopathology, subjected to central dissection of the neck as part of the initial surgical treatment with a follow-up of at least 6 months. Assessed variables were: surgical time, trans-operative bleeding, vocal cords mobility, assessed through direct laryngoscopy pre- and postoperatively, hypocalcemia and hypothyroidism, re-intervention, and number of dissected ganglia. Results: Twenty four patients, 16 with thyroid-confined disease, and 8 with neck involvement. Average surgical time of 2 to 4.30 hours, mean of 2.2, bleeding of 100 to 400 ml, mean of 196 ml. One patient with transient hypocalcemia, nill patients with permanent hypocalcemia confirmed with PHT testing, nill Recurrent laryngeal nerve (NLRL) injuries, nill re-interventions; the number of dissected ganglia was 7 to 16. Conclusions: Morbidity of total thyroidectomy plus dissection of the central compartment consisted of transient hypocalcemia (4.1%). Neither recurrent laryngeal nerve injury nor hypoparathyroidism occurred.

Keywords : Central compartment; thyroid; cancer.