Occult lymph node metastasis and risk of regional recurrence in papillary thyroid cancer after bilateral prophylactic central neck dissection: A multi-institutional study

Although no significant association was observed between the presence of occult lymph node metastasis and regional recurrence, lymph node ratio ≥ 0.26 was an independent predictor of regional lymph node recurrence in papillary thyroid cancer patients who underwent total thyroidectomy and bilateral prophylactic central neck dissection.