Carbon nanoparticle lymph node tracer improves the outcomes of surgical treatment in papillary thyroid cancer

BACKGROUND: Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common thyroid malignancy which is generally accompanied by lymph node metastasis. OBJECTIVE: Our study evaluated whether carbon nanoparticle lymph node tracer can improve the outcomes of surgical treatment in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). METHODS: Ninety-two patients were selected and underwent total thyroidectomy and lymph node resection. Our study placed 45 individuals into the treatment group (carbon nanoparticle group) and 47 cohorts in the control group (no carbon nanoparticle group). RESULTS: Carbon nanoparticle application remarkably improved lymph nodes detection rate in patients (4.7 +/- 3.0; P < 0.05) compared to those in control groups (3.5 +/- 2.3). The rate of parathyroid accidental resection in the carbon nanoparticle group significantly decreased (6.67%) compared to the control group (21.28%). Incidents of hypoparathyroidism and hypocalcaemia significantly decreased among the carbon nanoparticle cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: Our study definitively showed that carbon nanoparticles can be used to effectively treat lymphatic carcinoma. Our study presented clinical evidences for potential application of carbon nanoparticle in improving the management of PTC patients.