ABSTRACT
Objective To explore the feasibility and efficiency of minimally invasive video-assisted thy-roidectomy on thyroid microcarcinoma, and sum up the experiences. Methods 9 patients with thyroid microcarci-noma who underwent the minimally invasive video-assisted thyroidectomy from Jan 2006 to Feb 2009, were retro-spectively studied. Results All of the patients, except 1 case converting to open thyroidectomy, underwent the minimally invasive video-assisted thyroidectomy successfully. The subcutaneous hydrops occurred in 1 patient. The skin burns around the incisions occurred in 1 patient. There were no complications of recurrent laryngeal nerve injuries, neck hematoma, hypocalcemia, or superior laryngeal nerve injuries. The follow-up period of 15 cases were from 3 months to 37 months. There were no evidences of recurrence and metastasis by both postopera-five ultrasonic/CT examination and radioiodine scintigraphy. Conclusions The minimally invasive video-assisted thyroidectomy is safe and feasible (similar to the traditional thyroidectomy), of gratifying cosmetic results, for low-risk differentiated thyroid microcarcinoma without lymph node metastasis. For the median-risk or high-risk, more patients, comparative studies and long follow-ups are necessary to draw definitive conclusions in terms of its recurrence and survival rate.