Central lymph node dissection has minimal effect on hypoparathyroidism risk in thyroid cancer surgeries

Although central lymph node dissection during thyroid surgery for papillary thyroid carcinoma may slightly increase the rates of postoperative hypoparathyroidism, the difference is not significant when compared to surgery for benign thyroid diseases, according to a study.

The researchers compared patients who underwent thyroidectomy with central neck dissection for papillary thyroid carcinoma to those who had thyroidectomy for benign thyroid conditions such as follicular adenoma or nodular goiter.

There was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative hypoparathyroidism between the groups. Specifically, there was no notable difference in immediate, protracted, or permanent hypoparathyroidism rates for patients receiving lobe thyroidectomy or total thyroidectomy with or without central lymph node dissection.

The study concluded that while central lymph node dissection may slightly increase the rates of postoperative hypoparathyroidism in thyroid surgery for papillary thyroid carcinoma, these rates were still comparable to those seen in surgeries for benign thyroid diseases.

Reference
Wang B, Zhu CR, Fei Y, et al. The incidences of postoperative hypoparathyroidism during thyroid surgery with ipsilateral central lymph node dissection for papillary thyroid carcinoma were close to that during thyroid surgery for benign thyroid diseases necessitating surgical intervention: a retrospective study. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2024;15:1461553. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1461553. PMID: 39764252; PMCID: PMC11700802.