**2.4 Prophylactic lateral neck dissection**

Prophylactic lateral neck dissection is generally not recommended. The rationale is that lateral neck dissection can be deferred until the nodal disease become clinically apparent and proven. The concern to reoperate after initial thyroidectomy is lower as the lateral compartment is not entered during the initial surgery. Evidence suggested that removal of microscopic nodal disease in the lateral department had not been proven to improve cancer-specific or disease-free survival [51]. Considering the morbidity associated with lateral neck dissection, lateral neck dissection is in general reserved for proven nodal disease only.

#### **2.5 Sentinel lymph node biopsy in differentiated thyroid cancer**

The concept of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) depends on the stepwise pattern of lymphatic spread and the belief that the sentinel node (SLN), the first node that drains the tumor, will reflect the status of the remaining lymph nodes within the drainage basin.
