ABSTRACT
Objective To assess the significance of the right paraesophageal node(Ⅵb area) dissection in cN0 stage papillary thyroid microcarcinoma(PTMC)central lymph node dissection.Methods The clinical data of three hundred and five cN0 PTMC patients who underwent radical thyroidectomy from 2010 to 2015 was retrospectively analyzed.The metastasis rate of central compartment(Ⅵa area.Ⅵb area)and the clinical data were collected and analyzed.Results 305 cN0 stage PTMC patients underwent total thyroidectomy and bilateral central compartment dissection or right lobectomy combined with ipsilateral central compartment dissection,the mean diameter of the tumors was 6.75 mm.The incidence rate of central compartment metastasis was 35%.The incidence rate ofⅥb area metastasis was 11.1%.The status ofⅥb area metastasis was correlated with major clinicopathologic parameters such as sex,age<45,tumor diameter≥0.8 cm,bilateral multiple lesions, capsule invasion,VI a lymph node metastasis≥3 were all related risk factors of PTMC VIb area metastasis(χ2=6.913,4.241,4.517,5.185,12.400,34.745,P<0.05).Conclusion Because of the high rate of central lymph node metastasis in patients with PTMC and the poor efficiency in the evaluation for central lymph node metastasis before operation,the right paraesophageal lymph nodes(Ⅵb area)dissection is needed to be done in cN0 stage PTMC patients with tumor size≥0.8 cm,multifocal lesions,membrane invasion,Ⅵa area metastasis≥3,especially male patients.