Long term outcomes after repeat lymph node dissections for persistent or recurrent differentiated thyroid cancer

The primary treatment for locoregional recurrent/persistent differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is repeated lymph node dissection; however, there are limited reports on the safety and long-term efficacy of multiple operations. Patients who underwent a cervical lymph node dissection between 1998 and 2022 were included in this study. Demographics, initial thyroid surgery, subsequent lymph node dissections, follow up information, and response to therapy were acquired. After one, two, three and four re-operations, 112/314 (35.7 ​%), 16/79 (20.3 ​%), 3/25 (12 ​%), and 0/3 (0 ​%) patients (p ​