Korean J Otorhinolaryngol-Head Neck Surg.  2016 Aug;59(8):563-570. 10.3342/kjorl-hns.2016.59.8.563.

Journey to the Past: History of Thyroid Surgery

• Park JH

• KMID: 2350477
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3342/kjorl-hns.2016.59.8.563

Abstract

History of the thyroidectomy is a history in the advancement of surgery itself. Prior to the 19th century, the surgery of thyroid gland was clouded in lack of understanding. However, references to the thyroid disease and its treatment can be found in the literature and paintings of ancient medicine. Due to the lack of awareness and poor nutrition including iodine deficiency, Thyroid disease like goiter was widespread in that era. Many physicians had described the thyroid disease in various explanations and had attempted to cure that disease in many ways which was not on the scientific basis. By the 19th century, reasonable basis and explanation of the thyroid gland and its disease enabled the surgical treatment with resecting thyroid gland. However, like other surgery, surgical resection of the thyroid gland was limited by the lack of anesthesia, proper instruments and antibiotics in that time. Much of the progress in thyroid surgery occurred in 20th century by the contribution of the pioneering European and American surgeons with the advances of the surgical technique using proper instrument, antisepsis and biochemical products. Nowadays, modern imaging methods and remarkable surgical devices like endoscope or robot allow the variable access to the thyroid gland, which can be an alternative to the conventional method.

Keyword

History; Thyroid disease; Thyroidectomy

MeSH Terms

Anesthesia
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Antisepsis
Endoscopes
Goiter
Iodine
Methods
Paint
Paintings
Surgeons
Thyroid Diseases
Thyroid Gland*
Thyroidectomy
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Iodine