Characteristics of central compartment lymph node metastasis in patients with unilateral cN0 papillary thyroid carcinoma and prophylactic dissection

Objective To study the central compartment lymph node (CLN) metastasis in patients with unilateral pa-pillary thyroid carcinoma(PTC) diagnosed preoperatively and prophylactic dissection. Methods The data of 342 patients with unilateral PTC at cN0 stage who underwent unilateral thyroidectomy, isthmusectomy and prophylactic CLN dissection were analyzed retrospectively in our department from January 2016 to December 2018. The characteristics of CLN metastasis were analyzed. Results Among 342 patients, 188(55.0%) patients had CLN metastasis. CLN metastasis was significantly related with age (P