Abstract:Abstract:ObjectiveTo study the surgical management of early welldifferentiated thyroid carcinoma and the necessity of the Level VI lymph node dissection.MethodsClinical data of 46 patients suffering from early welldifferentiated thyroid carcinoma was retrospectively studied. All the patients underwent thyroid operation and 44 cases underwent the Level VI lymph node dissection. The surgical method relied largely on the location and pathology of the tumor. Subtotal lobectomy was performed in 2 cases, lobectomy in 6, total excision of thyroid isthmus and leave in 8, subtotal thyroidectomy in 28 and total thyroidectomy in 2. At the same time, Level VI lymph node dissection was performed in 44 cases. The relationship between cervical lymphatic metastasis and patients’ gender, age, body mass index, tumor stages were statistically analyzed.ResultsNeither relapse nor lymphatic metastasis occurred in all cases after followed up for 3 to 5 years postoperatively. There were no significant relationships between patients’ gender, body mass index and neck lymph node metastasis (both P>0.05), while the lymphatic metastasis was significantly associated with patients’ age, pathology and clinical stage of the tumor (χ2=10.125, P<0.05; χ2=6.597, P<0.05; χ2=13.455, P<0.01).ConclusionsThe lymphatic metastasis is closely associated with patients’ age, pathology and clinical stage of early welldifferentiated thyroid carcinoma. The surgical method relies mainly on the size, location and pathology of the tumor.