A Study on Clinicopathology of Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma and Central Lymph Node Dissection during Operation

Objective To study clinicopathology of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma(PTMC)and how to dissect the central compartment lymph node during operation.Methods The clinicopathologic data of 125 cases with PTMC(in 2010)were reviewed and the diagnostic criterion of PTMC were analyzed.Pathological data of PTMC among recent 3years were compared.Results In 125patients of PTMC,17 was males(13.6%),107 females(85.6%)and 1unrecorded.64cases(51.2%)were more than 45ys and58cases(46.4%)were less than 45ys.The cancer locations were as follows:left side 49cases(39.4%),right side 63cases(50.4%),bilateral 12cases(9.6%),and isthmus 1cases.The frozen section during operation was performed in 121cases.The right diagnosis was observed in 113cases(accuracy rate93.4%),and missed diagnosis in 8cases(error rate 6.6%).Ninty-two cases had ipsilateral compartment lymph node dissection,of whom,28cases were found lymph node metastasis(30.4%).Among the PTMC cases,patients with the primary lesion ≥0.5cm had slightly higher central node metastasis,compared with those with lesion0.5cm,34.0%(18/53)vs.25.6%(10/39),P=0.391.Conclusion A prophylactic dissection of central compartment lymph nodes should be performed to PTMC diagnosed by intraoperative frozen section.