Identification of risk factors of central lymph node metastasis and evaluation of the effect of prophylactic central neck dissection on migration of staging and risk stratification in patients with clinically node-negative papillary thyroid microcarcinoma

摘要

Objective > The first aim of this study was to explore the risk factors that were associated with central lymph node metastasis (CLNM) in patients with clinically node-negative papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (cN(0) PTMC) after prophylactic central neck dissection (PCND). The second aim was to evaluate the influence of PCND on migration of TNM staging and risk stratification (RS) in patients with cN(0) PTMC.