Clinical studies of surgical methods for small papillary thyroid cancers and prevention of recurrent laryngeal nerve injury / 解放军医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the surgical methods for thyroid microcarcinoma (TMC) and prevention of recurrent laryngeal nerve injury. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 238 TMC patients during the January 2006 to December 2013 in 309 Hospital of PLA. All the 238 patients had no clinical symptoms and the diagnosis was made by thyroid ultrasound. Thyroid ultrasound exhibited very small nodules (<1cm). At preoperation, 84 patients received fine needle aspiration (FNA). Among the 84 patients, 72 were diagnosed with TMC and 12 were false-negative for TMC by FNA. The remaining was proved by postoperative pathological examination. All of these 238 cases, 144 were of unilateral and solitary, 46 unilateral and multiple, and the remaining 48 multiple unilateral. Results Ninety-seven patients were operated for affected side and isthmus resection plus contralateral subtotal resection, 56 for affected side plus isthmus resection, 23 for bilateral thyroid resection, 62 for bilateral thyroid subtotal resection. 132 patients underwent cervical lymph node dissection and the remaining 106 did not. During operation, the recurrent laryngeal nerve was exposed in 122 patients, involving a total of 182 recurrent laryngeal nerves. In the postoperative period (1–7 years), 6 cases of recurrent and 6 cases of laryngeal nerve injury were found. Conclusions High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is an important method for diagnosis of TMC. FNA is the most reliable procedure for preoperative determination of the nature of thyroid nodule. Finally, the reasonable and effective surgery is the key to optimize the long-term therapeutic effect and reduce side-effects. During thyroid surgery, to expose and protect recurrent laryngeal nerve is the best means for preventing injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve.