Radical neck dissection in advanced thyroid cancer

We try to ascertain whether total thyroidectomy with radical neck dissection offers a survival and recurrency advantage for thyroid cancer. Between January 2000 and September 2009 in the 3rd Surgical Unit of the "Sf. Spiridon" Hospital of Ia?i 189 operations were performed for malign thyroid disorders, 164 (86,77%) of which were performed for the papillary or foliculary cancer. The diagnosis was confirmed by hystopathological examination. The patients had a medium age of 51,48 (extremes 19 - 81 years). Women had a greater proportion, as expected (sex ratio F:M = 2,85:1). 59 total thyroidectomy with radical or modified radical neck dissection were performed. There were immediate (6 bleedings which needed reoperation for haemostasis, 7 unilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve injury) and late complications (8 cases of recurrency in the first 2 years). Total thyroidectomy with radical neck dissection became the ellective method for advanced thyroid cancer (the best results were for papillary cancer, female and age over 55).