Long-Term Prognosis of Unilateral and Multifocal Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma After Unilateral Lobectomy Versus Total Thyroidectomy.

Background: Multifocal papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) has been associated with poor outcomes; however, we often encounter pathologically confirmed unilateral multifocal PTMC after surgery. To date, no consensus on the proper surgical extent for patients with this form of PTMC has been reported.

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of the type of surgical treatment on disease recurrence in patients with unilateral multifocal PTMC.