This study was performed to evaluate the clinicopathologic characteristics of Lymph Node metastasis between investing layer of Cervical fascia and deep fascia of infrahyoid strap Muscles (LNCM) in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).

Retrospective review of patients with PTC who underwent thyroidectomy and central compartment neck dissection (CND) from January 2016 to January 2018 was performed in two tertiary referral academic medical centers.

A total of 2104 consecutive patients with PTC who underwent thyroidectomy and CND were included in the retrospective review.

The LNCM was resected as a separate specimen by the surgeon and the clinicopathologic characteristics of the patients were recorded.

Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors for LNCM metastasis.