[Lymphectomy in differentiated thyroid cancers: our experience].

Introduction: At present we are still debating on which is the most adequate therapeutic strategy concerning the size of the thyroidectomy and the extension of the lymphectomy in differentiated thyroid tumors.
Patients and Methods: From January 2000 to December 2005, 334 operations for thyroid neoplasms have been performed; 304 (91%) for differentiated tumors. In 124 cases (37%) the latero-cervical and/or the central compartment lymphectomy have been associated with thyroidectomy: 79 monolateral and central compartment lymphectomies (ML and CCL) (64%), 11 bilateral and central compartment lymphectomies (BL and CCL) (8%), and 34 central compartment lymphectomies (CCL) (28%) have been performed.
Results: Out of the 124 lymphectomies, in 44 cases (35.5%) we found the presence of metastasis in the lymph nodes of latero-cervical and central compartments, in 10 cases (8%) absence of metastasis in the lymph nodes of the latero-cervical and central compartments, in 25 cases (20%) presence of metastasis in the latero-cervical lymph nodes and absence of metastasis in the lymph nodes of the central compartment. In 11 cases of bilateral and central compartment lymphectomies, 5 of them (4%) had positive lymph nodes of the latero-cervical and central compartments, while the other, only 6 (5%), had positive latero-cervical lymph nodes on the same side as the neoplasia. In 34 central compartment lymphectomies there was absence of metastasis. Mortality rate was zero. There was one case (0.8%) of recurrent laryngeal nerve temporary bilateral palsy (RTBP); 4 cases (3.2%) of recurrent temporary monolateral palsy (RTMP); 2 cases (1.6%) of definitive monolateral palsy (DMP); 29 cases (23.5%) of temporary hypoparathyroidism (TH); 7 cases (5.5%) of definitive hypoparathyroidism (DH).
Conclusions: Latero-cervical lymphectomy should be performed by necessity when clinical tests or pre-diagnostic exams show suspect lymph nodes, whereas central compartment lymphectomy should be performed in any case of thyroid neoplasia.