Korean J Endocr Surg.  2007 Mar;7(1):28-33. 10.16956/kjes.2007.7.1.28.

Gasless Endoscopic Thyroidectomy via an Axillary Approach: Short-term Outcomes and Modifications of Approach

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Surgery, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. jjong126@paran.com

Abstract

PURPOSE
With an accumulation of surgical experience for endoscopic or video-assisted thyroidectomy and improvements in surgical techniques and endoscopic instruments, these procedures have become a valid option for patients with benign thyroid nodules. These applications are now being expanded even to selected patients with low risk thyroid carcinomas. This study was performed to suggest new modified methods of approach on the use of a gasless endoscopic thyroidectomy via an axillary approach and to evaluate the short-term outcomes.
METHODS
Between May 2004 and March 2007, 66 female patients underwent a gasless endoscopic thyroidectomy via an axillary approach. Surgical outcomes were evaluated in terms of surgical time, length of hospital stay, the incidence of perioperative complications, and patient opinion at two and four months after surgery.
RESULTS
No cases required conversion to open surgery. The mean surgical time was 136.5±31.8 minutes, and the mean length of hospital stay was 4.2±1.1 days. There were two transient recurrent laryngeal nerve palsies, two minor tracheal injuries without air leakage, and two postoperative hemorrhages that required a second surgery. Only one patient (1.9%) and five patients (9.4%) complained of slight hypesthesia or paresthesia in the neck and anterior chest wall, respectively, and only three patients (5.7%) complained of discomfort while swallowing 4 months after surgery.
CONCLUSION
Gasless endoscopic thyroidectomy via an axillary approach is a feasible and safe procedure and providesa minimal degree of postoperative complaints. This procedure is now a valid option for the surgical treatment of benign thyroid disease and its applications will broaden in the near future.

Keyword

Endoscopic; Gasless; Axillary approach

MeSH Terms

Conversion to Open Surgery
Deglutition
Female
Humans
Hypesthesia
Incidence
Length of Stay
Neck
Operative Time
Paralysis
Paresthesia
Postoperative Hemorrhage
Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve
Thoracic Wall
Thyroid Diseases
Thyroid Neoplasms
Thyroid Nodule
Thyroidectomy*
Full Text Links
  • KJES
Actions
Cited
CITED
export Copy
Close
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Similar articles
Copyright © 2024 by Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors. All rights reserved.     E-mail: koreamed@kamje.or.kr