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Journals / Meandros Medical And Dental Journal / 2026 / Volume: 27 Issue: 2

Long-Term Outcomes of Therapeutic Lateral Neck Dissection in Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma: A Single-Surgeon Experience

Farklılaşmış Tiroid Karsinomunda Terapötik Lateral Boyun Diseksiyonunun Uzun Dönem Sonuçları: Tek Cerrah Deneyimi

Akay Edizsoy(ADNAN MENDERES UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF MEDICINE)0000-0002-1259-0488
Nihal Çınar Özcan(Mersin City Hospital)0000-0001-6301-2306
Bekir Doğan(Zonguldak State Hospital)0000-0001-7876-7146
Ahmet Dağ(Mersin University)0000-0002-1120-3773
Pages
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Publication Date
2026-06-24
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

Patient age might serve as a predictive factor for nodal disease burden and should be considered during surgical planning.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:Objective This study aimed to evaluate the long-term oncological outcomes and recurrence patterns following therapeutic lateral neck dissection (LND) in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC), performed by a surgeon experienced in thyroid surgery.
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Key Findings & Data:Materials and methods A retrospective cohort of 21 patients who underwent therapeutic lateral LND for DTC between 2015 and 2020 was analyzed.
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Conclusion & Impact:Patient age might serve as a predictive factor for nodal disease burden and should be considered during surgical planning.
🔬Design:Research Article
📍Scope:2015 Verileri
⚙️Variables:Thyroid neoplasms · lymphatic metastasis · neck dissection

Abstract

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the long-term oncological outcomes and recurrence patterns following therapeutic lateral neck dissection (LND) in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC), performed by a surgeon experienced in thyroid surgery. Materials and methods A retrospective cohort of 21 patients who underwent therapeutic lateral LND for DTC between 2015 and 2020 was analyzed. Patient demographics, tumor characteristics, lymph node status, complications, and recurrence events were recorded. The median follow-up duration was 41 months (range 36–60 months). Statistical correlation between age and the number of metastatic lymph nodes was assessed using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. Results 646 lymph nodes were dissected, with a mean of 30.8 nodes per patient of which 130 (20.1%) were metastatic. A significant negative correlation was observed between patient age (p=–0.63) and metastatic lymph node count (p=0.005). Complications occurred in eight patients (38%), with chylous fistula (14.3%) and paresthesia (19%) being the most common. Two patients (9.5%) developed lateral neck recurrence during follow-up, both of whom underwent successful radio-guided salvage surgery. Conclusion Therapeutic LND, when performed by surgeons experienced in thyroid surgery, offers effective oncological control with acceptable complication rates and low recurrence during long-term follow-up. Patient age might serve as a predictive factor for nodal disease burden and should be considered during surgical planning.

Özet

Amaç: Bu çalışma, tiroid cerrahisinde deneyimli bir cerrah tarafından diferansiye tiroid karsinomu (DTK) tanılı hastalara uygulanan terapötik lateral boyun diseksiyonu (LBD) sonrası uzun dönem onkolojik sonuçları ve nüks paternlerini değerlendirmeyi amaçladı. Yöntem: 2015–2020 yılları arasında DTK tanısıyla terapötik lateral LBD uygulanan 21 hasta retrospektif olarak incelendi. Demografik veriler, tümör özellikleri, lenf nodu durumu, komplikasyonlar ve nüks olayları kaydedildi. Medyan takip süresi 41 ay (dağılım: 36–60) idi. Hasta yaşı ile metastatik lenf nodu sayısı arasındaki ilişki Spearman testi ile değerlendirildi. Bulgular: Toplam 646 lenf nodu disseke edildi; ortalama 30,8 nod/hasta elde edildi. Bu nodların 130’u (%20,1) metastatikti. Hasta yaşı ile metastatik lenf nodu sayısı arasında anlamlı negatif korelasyon saptandı (ρ = –0,63; p = 0,005). Sekiz hastada (%38) komplikasyon gelişti; en sık görülenler şilöz fistül (%14,3) ve parestezi (%19) idi. Takip süresince iki hastada (%9,5) lateral boyun nüksü izlendi ve her ikisine radyoguided kurtarma diseksiyonu başarıyla uygulandı. Sonuç: Tiroid cerrahisinde deneyimli cerrahlar tarafından uygulanan terapötik lateral boyun diseksiyonu, uzun dönem takipte düşük nüks ve kabul edilebilir komplikasyon oranları ile etkin bir onkolojik kontrol sağlamaktadır. Genç yaş, metastatik lenf nodu yükünü öngörmede kullanılabilecek potansiyel bir faktör olabilir ve cerrahi planlamada dikkate alınmalıdır.

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Cite This Article

Edizsoy, A., Özcan, N. Ç., Doğan, B., Dağ, A., *, A. E. (2026). Long-Term Outcomes of Therapeutic Lateral Neck Dissection in Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma: A Single-Surgeon Experience. Meandros Medical And Dental Journal, Volume: 27 Issue: 2. https://doi.org/10.69601/meandrosmdj.1870888

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