METHODS: A total of 1724 patients with thyroid carcinoma received neck dissection in the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center between November 2009 and October 2014. The incidence and management of leak were analyzed.
RESULTS: A total of 92 (5.34%) patients developed leak, 28 (1.62%) developed lymph leak, 59 (3.42%) developed chyle leak, and 5 (.29%) developed chylothorax. Medical management to stop postoperative lymph or chyle leak included pressure dressing, reoperation, fasting, or low-fat diet therapy.
CONCLUSIONS: Lymph or chyle leak may occur in thyroid carcinoma patients who underwent neck dissection. Clinicians should alert to leak when there were IV + VI region lymph node metastasis and should become aware of chylothorax after pressure dressing. A careful identification and ligation of lymphatic duct may be an effective way to avoid lymph or chyle leak.