Background: Various incisions and approaches have been developed for lateral neck dissection. The purpose of\nthis study was to compare the surgical and cosmetic outcomes of a single low transverse incision with the hockey\nstick incision for lateral neck dissection (LND) in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).\nMethods: We retrospectively analyzed 97 patients with PTC who underwent therapeutic LND and total thyroidectomy\nby low transverse incision (62 patients) or hockey stick incision (35 patients). We compared the operative results,\ncosmetic outcomes, objective scar measurement, and sensory disturbance between the two groups.\nResults: The number of harvested and metastatic lymph nodes, Vancouver Scar Scale scores, and sensory change were\nnot significantly different between the two groups. The mean number of harvested lymph nodes in level II was 9.82 vs.\n9.63 (P = 0.885) (transverse incision vs. hockey stick incision, respectively) and in level V was 6.36 vs. 5.63 (P = 0.597).\nHowever, subjective satisfaction with the scar and neck contour was higher in the low transverse incision group\ncompared with the hockey stick incision group. Scores for scar consciousness and sensory change were not\nsignificantly different between the two groups.\nConclusions: A single low transverse incision may provide equivalent surgical outcomes and superior cosmetic\noutcomes compared with the hockey stick incision for LND in PTC.
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