To investigate the clinical significance of carbon nanoparticles suspension injection tracing in lymph node dissection and parathyroid gland protection in papillary thyroid carcinoma surgery.

The clinical data of eighty cases with papillary thyroid carcinoma in the 251st Hospital of PLA from May 2014 to December 2016 were retrospectively analyzed, forty patients with carbon nanoparticles suspension injection regarded as the study group, and forty with conventional operation regarded as the control group. The number of lymph nodes and postoperative pathology specimens with or without parathyroid glands tissue were compared between the two groups.

(1) Total number of lymph nodes: in study group 438 lymph nodes were detected, with an average of (9.4±2.3) per case and in control group there were 332, with an average of (5.7±1.7) per case. (2) Tiny lymph nodes: 102 tiny lymph nodes were found in study group, with an average of (3.3±2.3) per case and in control group there were 40, with an average of (1.5±1.1) per case. (3) Metastatic lymph nodes: in study group 290 metastatic lymph nodes were detected, with an average of (7.2±2.6) per case and in control group there were 155, with an average of (3.8±1.7) per case. The differences between the two groups were statistically significant (t=6.59, 4.89, 13.28, P=0.01, 0.02, 0.00). (4) The detection rate of parathyroid glands in postoperative pathological specimens: the incidence of parathyroid glands in postoperative pathological specimens was 5.0% (2/40) in study group and 22.5% (9/40) in control group, the difference was statistically significant (χ²=7.04, P=0.00).

In papillary thyroid carcinoma surgery, the lymph marking and locating with carbon nanoparticles suspension injection can increase the rate of detected neck lymph nodes, enhance the accuracy and thoroughness of operation. Meanwhile, it can reduce the damage of parathyroid gland by negative development.