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Metastasis of Right Upper Para-Esophageal Lymph Nodes in Central Compartment Lymph Node Dissection of Papillary Thyroid Cancer

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Abstract

Background

Although some lymph nodes (upper para-esophageal lymph nodes) that exist between the right recurrent laryngeal nerve and the esophagus should be involved in central-compartment lymph node dissection (CLND) in patients with papillary thyroid cancer, the procedure can cause some injury to the nerve. We set out to assess the incidence of right upper para-esophageal lymph node metastasis after routine CLND.

Methods

Records from 123 patients with PTC who underwent total thyroidectomy with CLND were reviewed.

Results

Fourteen of 123 patients exhibited nodal metastasis in right upper para-esophageal lymph nodes. Metastasis of right upper para-esophageal lymph nodes was usually associated with lesions of the right thyroid, comparatively large tumor size (more than 1 cm), and lateral cervical lymph node metastasis (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Right upper para-esophageal lymph nodes should be removed during operation for PTC in patients with lesions of the right thyroid gland, large tumor size, and lateral cervical lymph node metastasis.

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Acknowledgments

This work was done at Medical Research Institute (2007-18), Pusan National University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Pusan National University School of Medicine and Medical Research Institute, Pusan National University, 1-10, Ami-dong, Seo-gu, Pusan, 602-739, Korea

    Byung-Joo Lee, Jin-Choon Lee & Soo-Geun Wang

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine and Medical Research Institute, Pusan National University, 1-10, Ami-dong, Seo-gu, Pusan, 602-739, Korea

    Yong-Ki Kim, In-Ju Kim & Seok-Man Son

Authors
  1. Byung-Joo Lee
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  2. Jin-Choon Lee
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  3. Soo-Geun Wang
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  4. Yong-Ki Kim
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  5. In-Ju Kim
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  6. Seok-Man Son
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Soo-Geun Wang.

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Lee, BJ., Lee, JC., Wang, SG. et al. Metastasis of Right Upper Para-Esophageal Lymph Nodes in Central Compartment Lymph Node Dissection of Papillary Thyroid Cancer. World J Surg 33, 2094–2098 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-009-0149-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-009-0149-5

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