Thyroid cancer represents one of the most common endocrine malignancies. Its management has evolved substantially with improvements in high-resolution ultrasonography, ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration, molecular diagnostics, advanced thyroid surgery, radioactive iodine therapy, targeted systemic therapy, and multidisciplinary care.

the 2025 american thyroid association (ATA) guidelines emphasize individualized management based on diagnosis, risk assessment, treatment selection, and assessment of response to therapy. They also support appropriate de-escalation of treatment in selected low-risk patients, including lobectomy and active surveillance in carefully selected cases.

the 2022 WHO classification has also introduced important changes in thyroid tumor nomenclature and grading, including recognition of differentiated high-grade thyroid carcinoma and revised classification of several follicular-cell-derived tumors

.A tertiary hospital in jordan can provide an integrated thyroid cancer service incorporating endocrine surgery, endocrinology, radiology, pathology, nuclear medicine, oncology, and radiation oncology. 

IONM represents a valuable adjunct to meticulous surgical technique and direct visual identification of the RLN in thyroid cancer surgery. Its potential value is particularly relevant in high-risk procedures, including total thyroidectomy, completion thyroidectomy, reoperative surgery, extensive central or lateral neck dissection, and locally invasive thyroid cancer. Establishing a standardized IONM-based thyroid cancer pathway in a tertiary hospital in jordan may improve nerve-risk assessment, facilitate intraoperative decision-making, and provide objective data regarding RLN function and postoperative voice outcomes. This study will provide important local data and may serve as a foundation for establishing a national multidisciplinary thyroid cancer surgical registry in jordan. 

second branchial arch cysts are the most common congenital cystic lesions of the lateral neck. They arise from incomplete obliteration of the second branchial cleft during embryological development and usually present as painless lateral cervical swellings. Differential diagnosis may be challenging, particularly in adults, where cystic metastatic lymph nodes should always be excluded. Complete surgical excision remains the definitive treatment and requires detailed knowledge of cervical anatomy to avoid injury to adjacent neurovascular structures and to prevent recurrence.

this instructional course will review the embryology, clinical presentation, imaging characteristics, differential diagnosis, and surgical anatomy of second branchial arch cysts. Surgical techniques, operative tips, potential complications, and postoperative outcomes will be discussed through a case-based approach.

the objectives are to improve diagnostic accuracy, optimize surgical planning, enhance operative safety, and reduce recurrence and complications.