Int J Thyroidol.  2018 May;11(1):26-30. 10.11106/ijt.2018.11.1.26.

Transoral Robotic Thyroidectomy

• Park D
• Kim HK
• Kim HY

• KMID: 2428068
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.11106/ijt.2018.11.1.26

Abstract

Transoral approach for thyroidectomy recently gains a lot of attention among the thyroid surgeons, with definite merits over previously developed remote-access approaches. The approach not only resulted in the ideal cosmetic outcome but less postoperative pain with smaller dissection plane in comparison with other approaches. We have successfully introduced the robotic surgical system and its related techniques to this transoral surgical approach for thyroidectomy, which enables the surgeon to have the three-dimentional operative vision and to use the articulating instruments to enhance th eoptimal surgical outcomes. Herein, our unique procedures of transoral robotic thyroidectomy (TORT) are described, and possible advantages and disadvantages of the operation are discussed.

Keyword

Transoral thyroidectomy; Remote-access thyroidectomy; Transoral robotic thyroidectomy

MeSH Terms

Pain, Postoperative
Surgeons
Thyroid Gland
Thyroidectomy*

Figure

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  Fig. 1. (A) Location of in-cisions. (B) Blunt dissection with 8-mm-tipped vascular surgical tunneler.

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  Fig. 2. Flap formation of transoral robotic thyroidectomy and docking of robot. (A) Subplatysmal dissction using a suction electrocautery and an ultrasonic shears. (B) The axillary port was made on the right side for countertraction and to be used later for drain insertion. (C) Docking of da Vinci-Xi surgical system.

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  Fig. 3. The surgical steps of transoral robotic thyroidectomy. (A) Ligation of the superior thyroidal vessels of the right thyroid gland. (B) Identification of the left recurrent laryngeal nerve (arrowheads) and superior parathyroid gland (black arrow). (C) Completion of left thyroidectomy preserving recurrent laryngeal nerve (arrowheads). ∗: thyroid gland

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