ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To research the role of lymph tracers to protect parathyroid in surgery for papillary thyroid carcinoma.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma who met selected criteria were enrolled in this study. Patients were divided into carbon nanoparticle group, methylene blue group, and conventional surgery group.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>No significant complication occurred in the patients of carbon nanoparticle and methylene blue groups. In carbon nanoparticle group, methylene blue group and conventional surgery group, the mean numbers of parathyroid glands detected during surgery were 3.1 ± 0.3, 2.9 ± 0.4 and 2.3 ± 0.3 (F = 3.78, P < 0.01) , the rates that parathyroid was cut mistakenly were 1.37% (2/146) , 2.62% (2/97) and 7.14% (6/84) respectively (χ(2) = 17.372, P < 0.05) ; and the incidence of postoperative hypocalcemia were 10.4% (5/48) , 9.1% (3/33) and 17.5% (7/40,χ(2) = 0.671, P = 0.037) .</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Thyroid lymphography technique is helpful to protect from the injury to the parathyroid glands in surgery.</p>