To investigate the metastasis characteristics of lymph nodes of recurrent laryngeal nerve in patients with thoracic segment esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

The clinical data of the dissection and metastasis of lymph nodes of recurrent laryngeal nerve of 294 patients with thoracic segment esophageal squamous carcinoma undergoing esophageal carcinoma resection with thoracoscope and laparoscope in Fujian Medical University Union Hospital between January 2012 and December 2015 were retrospectively analyzed, and the metastasis characteristics of the lymph nodes of recurrent laryngeal nerve were investigated.

Among the 294 patients, 88 experienced metastasis of lymph nodes of recurrent laryngeal nerve, with the metastasis rate of 29.93%. A total of 1899 lymph nodes of recurrent laryngeal nerve were dissected, among which there were 145 metastatic lymph nodes, with the metastasis ratio of 7.64%. The metastasis of the lymph nodes of bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve in patients with thoracic segment esophageal squamous cell carcinoma was significantly related to the depth of invasion, differentiated degree and carcinoma cell embolus(P<0.05), but was not significantly related to gender, age and tumor location(P>0.05).

Patients with thoracic segment esophageal squamous cell carcinoma are susceptible to metastasis of lymph nodes of recurrent laryngeal nerve. To the patients with deeper invasion, poorer differentiation and having carcinoma cell embolus, special attention should be paid to the dissection of lymph nodes of bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve.