The extent of surgery for low-risk 1-4 cm papillary thyroid carcinoma: a catch-22 situation. A retrospective analysis of 497 patients based on the 2015 ATA Guidelines recommendation 35.

The appropriate management of low-risk PTC is unclear. Adherence to ATA R35 could lead to a huge increase in reinterventions when a TL is performed, though the need for them would be questionable. In our sample, more than half of patients (57.5%) who may undergo a TL for a seemingly low-risk PTC would have required a second operation to satisfy international guidelines, until better preoperative diagnostic tools become available.