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

ObjectiveThis 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 methodsA 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.Results646 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.ConclusionTherapeutic 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.