Central Compartment Neck Dissection for Well-Differentiated Thyroid Cancer

Indications and extent of central neck dissection for papillary thyroid cancer: An American Head and Neck Society Consensus Statement

“…This more dorsal region deep to the right RLN is of specific concern because it is a common and unfavorable place for disease recurrence . To remove both the anterior and posterior lymph node components, the right RLN needs to be transposed . The posterior paratracheal lymphatic tissue is then mobilized anteriorly and drawn under the RLN toward the lymph nodes that are caudal to the inferior thyroid artery …”

“…17 To remove both the anterior and posterior lymph node components, the right RLN needs to be transposed. 18 The posterior paratracheal lymphatic tissue is then mobilized anteriorly and drawn under the RLN toward the lymph nodes that are caudal to the inferior thyroid artery. 19 The left RLN ascends the neck in general in a more strictly caudal-to-cranial direction in the tracheoesophageal groove 20,21 (see Figure 1).…”