ABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the influences of age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index (ACCI) on prognosis of patients undergoing laparoscopic radical gastrectomy.Methods:The retrospective cohort study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 242 gastric cancer patients who underwent laparoscopic radical gastrectomy in 19 hospitals of the Chinese Laparoscopic Gastrointestinal Surgery Study Group-04 study, including 54 patients in Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, 32 patients in the First Hospital of Putian City, 32 patients in Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, 31 patients in Zhangzhou Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, 17 patients in Nanfang Hospital of Southern Medical University, 11 patients in the First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, 8 patients in Qinghai University Affiliated Hospital, 8 patients in Meizhou People′s Hospital, 7 patients in Fujian Provincial Hospital, 6 patients in Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University, 6 patients in Longyan First Hospital, 5 patients in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, 5 patients in the First Hospital Affiliated to Army Medical University, 4 patients in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 4 patients in West China Hospital of Sichuan University, 4 patients in Beijing University Cancer Hospital, 3 patients in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, 3 patients in Guangdong Provincial People′s Hospital, 2 patients in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi′an Jiaotong University, from September 2016 to October 2017 were collected. There were 193 males and 49 females, aged 62(range, 23?74)years. Observation indicators: (1) age distribution, comorbidities and ACCI status of patients; (2) the grouping of ACCI and comparison of clinicopathological characteristics of patients in each group; (3) incidence of postoperative early complications and analysis of factors affecting postoperative early complications; (4) follow-up; (5) analysis of factors affecting the 3-year recurrence-free survival rate of patients. Follow-up was conducted using outpatient examination or telephone interview to detect postoperative survival of patients up to December 2020. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean± SD, and comparison between groups was conducted using the t test. Measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M( Q1, Q3) or M(range), and comparison between groups was conducted using the Mann-Whitney U test. Count data were described as absolute numbers or percentages, and comparison between groups was conducted using the chi-square test or Fisher exact probability. Comparison of ordinal data was conducted using the nonparametric rank sum test. The X-Tile software (version 3.6.1) was used to analyze the best ACCI grouping threshold. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate survival rates and draw survival curves. The Log-Rank test was used for survival analysis. The Logistic regression model was used to analyze the factors affecting postoperative early complications. The COX proportional hazard model was used for univariate and multivariate analyses of factors affecting the 3-year recurrence-free survival rate of patients. Multivariate analysis used stepwise regression to include variables with P<0.05 in univariate analysis and variables clinically closely related to prognosis. Results:(1) Age distribution, comor-bidities and ACCI status of patients. Of the 242 patients, there were 28 cases with age <50 years, 68 cases with age of 50 to 59 years, 113 cases with age of 60 to 69 years, 33 cases with age of 70 to 79 years. There was 1 patient combined with mild liver disease, 1 patient combined with diabetes of end-organ damage, 2 patients combined with peripheral vascular diseases, 2 patients combined with peptic ulcer, 6 patients combined with congestive heart failure, 8 patients combined with chronic pulmonary diseases, 9 patients with diabetes without end-organ damage. The ACCI of 242 patients was 2 (range, 0-4). (2) The grouping of ACCI and comparison of clinicopathological characteristics of patients in each group. Results of X-Tile software analysis showed that ACCI=3 was the best grouping threshold. Of the 242 patients, 194 cases with ACCI <3 were set as the low ACCI group and 48 cases with ACCI ≥3 were set as the high ACCI group, respectively. Age, body mass index, cases with preoperative comorbidities, cases of American Society of Anesthesiologists classification as stage Ⅰ, stage Ⅱ, stage Ⅲ, tumor diameter, cases with tumor histological type as signet ring cell or poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma and cases with tumor type as moderately or well differentiated adenocarcinoma, cases with tumor pathological T staging as stage T1, stage T2, stage T3, stage T4, chemotherapy cycles were (58±9)years, (22.6±2.9)kg/m 2, 31, 106, 85, 3, (4.0±1.9)cm, 104, 90, 16, 29, 72, 77, 6(4,6) in the low ACCI group, versus (70±4) years, (21.7±2.7)kg/m 2, 23, 14, 33, 1, (5.4±3.1)cm, 36, 12, 3, 4, 13, 28, 4(2,5) in the high ACCI group, showing significant differences in the above indicators between the two groups ( t=-14.37, 1.98, χ2=22.64, Z=-3.11, t=-2.91, χ2=7.22, Z=-2.21, -3.61, P<0.05). (3) Incidence of postoperative early complications and analysis of factors affecting postoperative early complications. Of the 242 patients, 33 cases had postoperative early complications, including 20 cases with local complications and 16 cases with systemic complica-tions. Some patients had multiple complications at the same time. Of the 20 patients with local complications, 12 cases had abdominal infection, 7 cases had anastomotic leakage, 2 cases had incision infection, 2 cases had abdominal hemorrhage, 2 cases had anastomotic hemorrhage and 1 case had lymphatic leakage. Of the 16 patients with systemic complications, 11 cases had pulmonary infection, 2 cases had arrhythmias, 2 cases had sepsis, 1 case had liver failure, 1 case had renal failure, 1 case had pulmonary embolism, 1 case had deep vein thrombosis, 1 case had urinary infection and 1 case had urine retention. Of the 33 cases with postoperative early complications, there were 3 cases with grade Ⅰ complications, 22 cases with grade Ⅱ complications, 5 cases with grade Ⅲa complications, 2 cases with grade Ⅲb complications and 1 case with grade Ⅳ complica-tions of Clavien-Dindo classification. Cases with postoperative early complications, cases with local complications, cases with systemic complications were 22, 13, 9 in the low ACCI group, versus 11, 7, 7 in the high ACCI group, respectively. There were significant differences in cases with postoperative early complications and cases with systemic complications between the two groups ( χ2=4.38, 4.66, P<0.05), and there was no significant difference in cases with local complications between the two groups ( χ2=2.20, P>0.05). Results of Logistic regression analysis showed that ACCI was a related factor for postoperative early complications of gastric cancer patients undergoing laparoscopic radical gastrectomy [ odds ratio=2.32, 95% confidence interval ( CI) as 1.04-5.21, P<0.05]. (4) Follow-up. All the 242 patients were followed up for 36(range,1?46)months. During the follow-up, 53 patients died and 13 patients survived with tumor. The 3-year recurrence-free survival rate of the 242 patients was 73.5%. The follow-up time, cases died and cases survived with tumor during follow-up, the 3-year recurrence-free survival rate were 36(range, 2-46)months, 29, 10, 80.0% for the low ACCI group, versus 35(range, 1-42)months, 24, 3, 47.4% for the high ACCI group. There was a significant difference in the 3-year recurrence-free survival rate between the two groups ( χ2=30.49, P<0.05). (5) Analysis of factors affecting the 3-year recurrence-free survival rate of patients. Results of univariate analysis showed that preoperative comorbidities, ACCI, tumor diameter, histological type, vascular invasion, lymphatic invasion, neural invasion, tumor pathological TNM staging, postoperative early complications were related factors for postoperative 3-year recurrence-free survival rate of gastric cancer patients undergoing laparoscopic radical gastrectomy [ hazard ratio ( HR)=2.52, 3.64, 2.62, 0.47, 2.87, 1.90, 1.86, 21.77, 1.97, 95% CI as 1.52-4.17, 2.22-5.95, 1.54-4.46, 0.27-0.80, 1.76-4.70, 1.15-3.12, 1.10-3.14, 3.01-157.52, 1.11-3.50, P<0.05]. Results of multivariate analysis showed that ACCI, tumor pathological TNM staging, adjuvant chemotherapy were indepen-dent influencing factors for postoperative 3-year recurrence-free survival rate of gastric cancer patients undergoing laparoscopic radical gastrectomy ( HR=3.65, 11.00, 40.66, 0.39, 95% CI as 2.21-6.02, 1.40-86.73, 5.41-305.69, 0.22-0.68, P<0.05). Conclusions:ACCI is a related factor for post-operative early complications of gastric cancer patients undergoing laparos-copic radical gastrectomy. ACCI, tumor pathological TNM staging, adjuvant chemotherapy are indepen-dent influencing factors for postoperative 3-year recurrence-free survival rate of gastric cancer patients undergoing laparoscopic radical gastrectomy.
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the risk factors of perioperative complications of laparoscopic radical distal gastrectomy and influence of body shape on the short-term therapeutic effects.Methods The retrospective case-control study was conducted.The clinicopathological data of 506 patients (328 males and 178 females,average age 60 years with the range of 24-85 years) who underwent laparoscopic radical distal gastrectomy+D2 lymph nodes dissection in the 8 clinical centers between March 2016 and November 2018 were collected,including 143 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University,66 in the Affiliated Hospital of Qinghai University,66 in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University,64 in the Zhongshan Hospital of Xiamen University,54 in the Affiliated Hangzhou First people's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine,48 in the Zhangzhou Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University,35 in the Affiliated Quanzhou First Hospital of Fujian Medical University,30 in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen Medical College.The maximum thickness of subcutaneous fat at the level of umbilicus (USCF),the maximum vertical distance between the anterior abdominal skin and the back skin at the level of the umbilicus (UAPD),the maximum horizontal distance between the anterior abdominal skin and the back skin at the level of the umbilicus (UTD),the maximum verticaldistance between the anterior abdominal skin and the back skin at the level of the xiphoid bone (XAPD),the maximum horizontal distance between the.anterior abdominal skin and the back skin at the level of the xiphoid bone (XTD),the distance between the anterior abdominal skin and the root of celiac artery (CAD) and the maximum horizontal distance at a right angle to CAD (CATD) were measured using preoperative imaging examinations.Observation indicators:(1) intraoperative and postoperative situations;(2) follow-up situations;(3) risk factors analysis of perioperative complications;(4) influence of body shape related indexes on intraoperative situations and postoperative recovery:① Pearson univariate correlation analysis,② liner regression model analysis.Followup using outpatient examination and telephone interview was performed to detect the postoperative survival and tumor recurrence or metastasis up to December 2018.Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean±SD.Measurement data with skewed distribution were described as M (range).Comparisons of count data were analyzed using the chi-square test.Comparisons of ordinal data were analyzed by Mann-Whitney U nonparametric test.Risk factors of perioperative complications of laparoscopic distal gastrectomy were analyzed by Logistic regression model.Influence of body shape related indexes on intraoperative situations and postoperative recovery was analyzed by Pearson univariate correlation analysis and liner regression model.Results (1) Intraoperative and postoperative situations:all the 506 patients underwent successful laparoscopic distal gastrectomy,including 103 with Billroth Ⅰ anastomosis,140 with Billroth Ⅱ anastomosis,201 with Billroth Ⅱ + Braun anastomosis,62 with Roux-en-Y anastomosis.The operation time,volume of intraoperative blood loss,number of lymph nodes dissected,time to postoperative anal exsufflation,time for initial fluid diet intake,time for initial semi-fluid diet intake and duration of postoperative hospital stay were (233±44)minutes,(102±86)mL,34±13,(3.6±1.5)days,(5.8±3.3)days,(8.3±3.8)days,(12.2±5.7)days respectively in the 506 patients.Of 506 patients,196 were defined as pathological stage Ⅰ,122 were defined as pathological stage Ⅱ and 188 were defined as pathological stage Ⅲ postoperatively.Of 506 patients,93 had 106 times of perioperative complications,including 33 times of pulmonary and upper respiratory infection,12 times of incisional infection,11 times of anastomotic leakage,11 times of abdominal infection,8 times of intestinal obstruction,8 times of gastroplegia,6 times of abdominal hemorrhage,5 times of bacteremia,3 times of anastomotic hemorrhage,3 times of lymph fluid leakage,2 times of pancreatic leakage,1 time of urinary infection,1 time of anatomotic stenosis,1 time of deep venous thrombosis and 1 time of pulmonary embolism;the same patient can merge multiple complications.Eleven patients were in the Clavien-Dindo classification ≥ Ⅲ.(2) Follow-up situations:465 of 506 patients were followed up for 1-32 months with a median time of 12 months.During the follow-up,451 had postoperative survival and 38 had tumor recurrence or metastasis.(3) Risk factors analysis of perioperative complications.① Results of univariate analysis showed that age,body mass index (BMI),preoperative hemoglobin,preoperative serum albumin and XAPD were related factors affecting perioperative complications of laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (x2 =10.289,7.427,5.269,5.481,4.285,P＜ 0.05).② Results of multivariate analysis showed that age,BMI,preoperative serum albumin were independent related factors affecting perioperative complications of laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (odds ratio =1.033,1.118,0.937,95％ interval confidence:1.011-1.057,1.025-1.219,0.887-0.990,P＜0.05).(4) Influence of body shape related indexes on intraoperative situations and postoperative recovery.① Results of Pearson univariate correlation analysis showed correlations between UAPD,XAPD,CAD,CATD and volume of intraoperative blood loss (r=0.107,0.169,0.179,0.106,P＜0.05),between UAPD,XAPD,CAD and the number of lymph nodes dissected (r=-0.137,-0.143,-0.173,P＜0.05),between USCF,XAPD and time to postoperative anal exsufflation (r =0.122,0.109,P＜0.05),between USCF,XAPD,CAD and time for initial fluid diet intake (r=0.132,0.108,0.132,P＜0.05),between USCF,XAPD and duration of postoperative hospital stay (r=0.116,0.100,P＜0.05).② Results of liner regression model analysis showed a positive correlation between CAD and volume of intraoperative blood loss (r =6.776),a negative correlation between CAD and the number of lymph nodes dissected (r =-0.841),with statistically significant differences (t =2.410,-1.992,P＜ 0.05);a positive correlation between USCF and time to postoperative anal exsufflation (r=0.170),between USCF and time for initial fluid diet intake (r=0.365),between USCF and duration of postoperative hospital stay (r=0.636) respectively,with statisticallysignificant differences (t =2.188,1.981,2.107,P＜ 0.05).Conclusions Abdominal shape can influence intraoperative situations and postoperative recovery of laparoscopic distal gastrectomy,but cannot increase risks ofperioperative complications.Age,BMI and preoperative serum albumin are independent related factors affecting perioperative complications of laparoscopic distal gastrectomy.
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the short-term clinical effects of selecting duodenal transection timing on laparoscopic-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG).Methods The retrospective cohort study was conducted.The clinicopathological data of 239 gastric cancer (GC) patients undergoing LADG in the 5 medical centers between March 2016 and March 2018 were collected,including 104 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University,45 in Zhangzhou Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University,35 in Quanzhou Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University,30 in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen Medical College,25 in Zhongshan Hospital of Xiamen University.Of 239 patients undergoing LADG + D2 lymph node dissection,107 receiving duodenal transection and then lymph node dissection in the upper region of pancreas after lymph node dissection in the lower region of pylorus and 132 receiving lymph node dissection in the upper region of pancreas and then duodenal transection were respectively divided into anterior approach group and posterior approach group.Sixty-four,8,16,14 and 5 patients in the anterior approach group and 40,37,19,16 and 20 patients in the posterior group respectively came from the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University,Zhangzhou Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University,Quanzhou Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University,Second Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen Medical College and Zhongshan Hospital of Xiamen University.Observation indicators:(1) surgical and postoperative situations;(2) postoperative complications;(3) stratified analyses of surgical and postoperative situations in patients with different TNM staging,body mass index (BMI) and maximum tumor dimension;(4) follow-up and survival.Follow-up using outpatient examination and telephone interview was performed to detect postoperative overall survival and tumor recurrence or metastasis up to April 2018.Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as (-x)±s,and comparison between groups was analyzed using the independent-samples t test.Measurement data with skewed distribution were described as M (Q),and comparison between groups was analyzed using the nonparametric test.Comparisons of count data were analyzed using chi-square test or Fisher exact probability.Comparison of ordinal data was done by the rank-sum test.Results (1) Surgical and postoperative situations:all the patients underwent successful operation,without perioperative death.Number of lymph node dissection in the upper region of pylorus in the anterior and posterior approach groups were respectively 3.9±2.6 and 3.0±2.5,with a statistically significant difference between groups (t=2.778,P＜0.05).Cases with Billroth Ⅰ,Billroth Ⅱ,Billroth Ⅱ +Bruan and Roux-en-Y of digestive tract reconstruction,operation time,dissected times of lymph nodes in greater curvature of stomach,lower region of pylorus,upper region of pancreas and lesser curvature of stomach,cases with visible port vein,volume of intraoperative blood loss,number of overall lymph node dissection,numbers of lymph node dissection in greater curvature of stomach,lower region of pylorus,upper region of pancreas and lesser curvature of stomach,time to postoperative anal exsufflation,time for postoperative fluid diet intake,time for postoperative semi-fluid diet intake,intraperitoneal drainage-tube removal time and duration of postoperative hospital stay were respectively 16,32,47,12,(233.0±41.0)minutes,(14.6±5.4)tninutes,(21.9±6.3)nminutes,(32.7±6.8) minutes,(7.4±2.9)minutes,74,(87±73)mL,35.0±10.0,8.5±4.1,4.8±4.2,13.3±5.2,4.3± 3.3,(4.1±2.6)days,(5.4±2.8) days,(7.9± 3.5) days,(8.9± 2.9) days,(11.7± 4.5) days in the anterior approach group and 17,47,61,7,(243.0±44.0) minutes,(15.7±5.2) minutes,(23.1±8.0) minutes,(34.2±7.1) minutes,(7.9±2.8)minutes,79,(93±57)mL,33.0±10.0,8.1±4.8,5.3±4.9,12.5±5.6,3.8±2.4,(3.8±3.3)days,(5.0±3.6)days,(7.5±4.0) days,(8.5±3.8)days,(11.3±5.7) days in the posterior approach group,with no statistically significant difference between groups (x2 =3.431,t =-1.836,-1.546,-1.324,-1.634,-1.228,x2=2.552,t=-0.684,1.630,0.797,-0.871,1.148,1.314,0.954,0.951,0.884,1.065,0.694,P＞0.05).(2) Postoperative complications:cases with overall complications,anastomotic leakage,anastomotic stenosis,anastomotic bleeding,pancreatic fistula,postoperative gastroparesis,intra-abdominal hemorrhage,incision infection,pneumonia,intra-abdominal infection,bacteremia,intestinal obstruction,endolymphatic leakage,Clavien-Dindo grade Ⅰ,Ⅱ,Ⅲa,Ⅲb and Ⅳa of postoperative complications were respectively 15,1,1,1,0,3,1,2,3,0,1,3,0,3,9,1,2,0 in the anterior approach group and 25,3,0,1,2,2,2,5,7,3,2,3,1,6,14,1,2,2 in the posterior approach group,with no statistically significant difference between groups (x2=1.027,0.643,0.022,0.479,0.161,0.765,0.921,0.161,0.063,Z=-1.055,P＞0.05).Patients in 2 groups with complications were cured by symptomatic treatment.(3) Stratified analyses of surgical and postoperative situations in patients with different TNM staging,BMI and maximum tumor dimension:operation time,dissected times of lymph nodes in upper region of pancreas,cases with visible port vein,number of overall lymph node dissection,numbers of lymph node dissection in upper region of pylorus and upper region of pancreas were respectively (236.0±41.0)minutes,(33.9±6.2) minutes,32,36.0±12.0,3.8±3.0,13.4±5.5 in patients of the anterior approach group with Ⅲ stage of TNM staging and (253.0± 45.0) minutes,(36.5 ±7.0) minutes,29,31.0±t9.0,2.5±2.0,11.4±4.6 in patients of the posterior approach group with Ⅲ stage of TNM staging,with statistically significant differences between groups (t =-1.988,-2.066,x2 =4.686,t =2.472,2.757,2.016,P＜0.05).Numbers of overall lymph node dissection and number of lymph node dissection in upper region of pylorus were respectively 37.0± 12.0,3.6±3.1 in patients of the anterior approach group with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 and 30.0±7.0,2.0± 1.3 in patients of the posterior approach group with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2,with statistically significant differences between groups (t =2.211,2.205,P＜0.05).Volume of intraoperative blood loss and number of lymph node dissection in upper region of pylorus were respectively (80±45) mL,4.0±2.6 in patients of the anterior approach group with maximum tumor dimension ≥ 3.3 cm and (110±67)mL,2.8± 1.8 in patients of the posterior approach group with maximum tumor dimension ≥ 3.3 cm,with statistically significant differences between groups (t =-2.320,2.589,P ＜ 0.05).(4) Follow-up and survival:of 239 patients,202 were followed up for 2-24 months,with a median time of 12 months,including 89 in the anterior approach group and 113 in the posterior approach group.During the follow-up,cases with overall survival,tumor recurrence and metastasis were respectively 85,3,8 in the anterior approach group and 109,3,11 in the posterior approach group,with no statistically significant difference between groups (x2=0.032,0.089,0.119,P＞0.05).Conclusions Both of anterior approach and posterior approach are safe and feasible in LADG,with equivalent short-term efficacies.The anterior approach in LADG has an advantage of the lymph node dissection in the upper region of pylorus compared with posterior approach,and it also is better for patients with later tumor staging,higher BMI and bigger tumor.
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the inhibitional effect of MRPI-shRNA on expression of MRP1gene in K56.2/AS2 cells resistant to arsenic trioxide. Methods Three pieces of MRPI-shRNA were designed,synthesized and transfected into K562/AS2 cells with lipesome. Expression level of MRPI mRNA were determined by real time fluorescent quantitative PCR. MRPI protein expression and intracellular accumulation of DNR were assayed with flow cytometry. Results After treated with MRPI-shRNA, the expression level of MRPI mRNA and MRPI protein in K562/AS2 cells decreased significantly(79.1±0.07) % and (62.48±0.86) %,respectively (P <0.05). The intracellular accumulation of DNR increased significantly(P < 0.05). Conclusion MRPI-shRNA can down-regulate the expression of MRPI gene in K562/AS2 cell line.
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics and imaging manifestations of AIDS complicated with disseminated Penicillium marneffei (PM) infection. Methods A total of 12 patients with AIDS complicated with disseminated PM infection were collected and the symptoms, signs, laboratory examination results and image manifestations of these patients were analyzed retrospectively. Results (1) The diagnosis of PM infection in all the 12 cases were confirmed by peripheral blood culture.All the 12 cases (100％) had irregular fever (38-41 ℃) and enlarged lymph nodes, 8 cases (66％) had skin rashes; 8 cases (66％) had hepatomegaly; 9 cases (75％) had splenomegaly while 8 cases (66％) had anemia. (2) Imaging manifestation: Five cases manifested bilateral pulmonary disseminated miliary nodular shadows or lattice signs; 1 case showed enlarged hilar lymph node and 2 zases showed patchy shadow with pleuritis. One case presented sub-pleural curve line shadow at the posterior part of the right lower lung,and adhesion between the intestinal wall and intestinal mesentery in mass form in the abdomen by CT examination. Conclusion Patients suffering from AIDS (CD4T lymphocytes ＜50/μ L) with impaired immunity might be susceptible to complication of disseminated PM infection, which presents mainly damage of multiple organs and symptoms such as fever; enlargement of liver,spleen and lymph nodes, as well as specific skin maculopapular rashes. Imaging manifestations in the lungs were revealed as miliary nodular shadows and lattice-like shadows. Intensified abdominal CT might reveal presence of several enlarged postperitoneal lymph nodes and intestinal adhesion in shape of cakes.
ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the feasibility and advantages of gasless endoscopic thyroidectomy via the infraclavicular approach.Methods A single 2-to 4-cm infraclavicular incision was made at the ipsilateral side under local anesthesia.The subplastysmal plane was dissected up to the anterior neck to build a gasless space by mechanical method.Afterwards,by using ultrasonic scalpel,thyroidectomy was performed.Results The procedure was completed in 34 cases with a mean operation time of(120?30) min and mean blood loss of(20?12) ml.After the surgery,3 patients developed subcutaneous fluid and 1 patient had incisional infection,all of the 4 patients were cured by conservative therapy.The 34 cases were followed up for 1 to 30 months with a mean of 18.5 months,during the period,none of them had recurrence.Conclusions Gasless endoscopic thyroidectomy via the infraclavicular approach is a simple and safe method with good cosmetic outcomes.