Lymph node dissection morbidity in thyroid cancer: an integrative review

Cervical lymphadenectomy is a common procedure for thyroid cancer. Some of the complications are congruent with the complications of thyroid surgery, in particular recurrent laryngeal nerve paresis and hypoparathyroidism as well as bleeding and wound infection. Specific complications of lateral cervical lymph node dissection are injuries to the accessory, phrenic and hypoglossal nerves, and the cervical plexus trunk and injuries, the salivary glands, and the lymphatic system, especially the ductus thoracicus. Most of these complications are very rare with an incidence of <1%. Profound anatomical knowledge and a careful dissection technique make a decisive contribution to minimizing complications.