Fig. 1.

Surgical plate creation. A) The clavicular and sternal heads of the SCM muscle. B) Line α shows that the STM was dissected laterally to expose the OHM and IJV, and line β shows that the carotid sheath was exposed along the IJV. C) The inner side of the carotid sheath and dissection of the visceral fascia longitudinally. D) The posterior boundaries of the thyroid gland and the CCLN (surgical plate) were exposed by revealing the retrovisceral space and esophagus. Note: SCM, sternocleidomastoid muscle; STM, sternothyroid muscle; OHM, omohyoid muscle; IJV, internal jugular vein; MTV, middle thyroid vein; TG-R, right thyroid gland; CA, carotid artery; ITA, inferior thyroid artery; CCLN, central compartment lymph nodes. White lines represent cutting lines.