A prospective study comparing the gasless endoscopic thyroidectomy trans-axillary approach to conventional open thyroidectomy: health and quality of life outcomes.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between different surgical treatments and quality of life remains uncertain for differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). The aim of this study is to compare the gasless endoscopic thyroidectomy trans-axillary approach (ET) and traditional open thyroidectomy (OT) through a prospective cohort study focusing on the rate of the efficacy, and quality of life (QoL). METHODS: This prospective observational longitudinal cohort study enrolled 134 female patients diagnosed with DTC from December 01/2021 to December 31/2022. Multiple scales were applicated to evaluate the differences in quality of life, effectiveness, safety, etc. between the two groups during preoperative and postoperative follow-up periods, including the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30, version 3.0 (QOL-C30), Symptom Checklist (SCL-90), Scar Cosmesis Assessment and Rating (SCAR-Q), voice impairment score (VIS), swallowing impairment score (SIS), and neck impairment score (NIS). RESULTS: Among them, 68 accepted ET and 66 patients underwent OT. To enhance comparability between the two groups, the patients enrolled in this study are female. Compared with the OT group, the ET group performed significantly better postoperative physical quality of life, including sound (p = 0.036), swallowing (p < 0.001), and neck function (p = 0.010). The ET group was also associated with significantly better cosmetic satisfaction (p < 0.001), and relatively faster recovery in psychological and emotional situation. CONCLUSIONS: Gasless endoscopic thyroidectomy through an axillary approach leads to good cosmetic and psychological effects, improves postoperative QoL, and could be recommended for rapid postoperative recovery and involvement in daily and social activities.

Modern Surgical Techniques of Thyroidectomy and Advances in the Prevention and Treatment of Perioperative Complications.

Thyroid cancer is the most common cancer of the endocrine system, and, in recent years, there has been a phenomenon of overdiagnosis followed by subsequent overtreatment. This results in an increasing number of thyroidectomy complications being faced in clinical practice. In this paper, we present the current state of knowledge and the latest findings in the fields of modern surgical techniques, thermal ablation, the identification and assessment of parathyroid function, recurrent laryngeal nerve monitoring and treatment and perioperative bleeding. We reviewed 485 papers, from which we selected 125 papers that are the most relevant. The main merit of this article is its comprehensive view of the subject under discussion-both general, concerning the selection of the appropriate method of surgery, and particular, concerning the selection of the appropriate method of prevention or treatment of selected perioperative complications.

Transaxillary robotic-assisted thyroid surgery: technique and results of a preliminary experience on the Da Vinci Xi platform.

BACKGROUND: Robotic thyroidectomy by transaxillary approach (RATS) is regarded as a feasible and safe alternative procedure in selected patients with benign disease or thyroid cancer of low risk, facilitating thyroidectomy with respect to conventional endoscopic approach and offering improved cosmetic results. The Da Vinci Xi surgical system (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA, USA) presents technical advantages over its previous generations, including overhead docking, more compact robotic arms, extended range of motion, and ability for camera to be docked in any arm. This construct supports dissection in smaller spaces with less arm interference and improved view. We present an initial experience of RATS on DVSS Xi in an academic Centre in Italy. METHODS: We conducted a prospective observational study, involving patients with thyroid disease and treated between April 2016 and January 2018. A modified thyroidectomy retractor (Modena retractor, CEATEC Medizintechnik, Germany) was used to lift a musculocutaneous flap and operate gasless. Instrument placement was recorded for each procedure. Each procedure description was broken down into three phases, creation of working space, machine docking with instrument positioning and endoscopic operating technique. Duration of cases was recorded. Patients selected were young women, BMI < 30, thyroid nodule < 5 cm, cytology TIR2 to TIR4 (TIR4:only nodules < 1 cm diameter). RESULTS: Twelve RATS were performed within the learning curve for the robotic technique, 10 lobectomies and 2 total thyroidectomies. No patients required reintervention. Mean duration of surgery was 198.9 min for lobectomy and 210 for thyroidectomy. The same surgical team performed all procedures. No patients presented surgery-related complications, mean stay was 3 days. Decrease in operating time was observed after 8 cases along with more precise preparation of working space. Four arms were used in the first 10 procedures then only three. No recurrent laryngeal nerve dysfunction, no seroma or haematoma were recorded. One patient had transient hypocalcaemia after total thyroidectomy. CONCLUSIONS: Since the early phases of a preliminary experience RATS appeared a safe alternative to open thyroidectomy. Uptake of technique was quick on Xi platform with few technical tweaks over techniques described for Si machines. Careful patient selection is crucial. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Retrospectively registered on 20 july 2018 . TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: researchregistry4272. The Research Registry: https://www.researchregistry.com/browse-the-registry#home/registrationdetails/5b517f08dbc2045aefd7f9b4/.

Postsurgical Outcomes and Surgical Completeness of Robotic Thyroid Surgery: A Single Surgeon's Experience on 700 Cases.

BACKGROUND: Advanced technology and understanding of robotic surgical system have rendered robotic thyroid surgery more expanding. The aim of this study was to identify the periodic changes in postsurgical outcomes of robotic thyroid surgery performed by a single surgeon. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of 700 robotic thyroid surgery cases using gasless trans-axillary approach. RESULTS: All patients underwent successful operations without conversion to open surgery, and were mostly younger than 45 years, female, less-extended thyroid surgery and lymph node dissection, and thyroid cancer. The median follow-up period was 67 months (12-99 months). Regarding technical outcomes, the operation time declined steeply after 100 consecutive cases, and reached 120.0-132.7 minutes for thyroid lobectomy and 162.9-174.1 minutes for total thyroidectomy (TT). The most common complication was transient hypoparathyroidism (43.7%), whose incidence decreased steeply to a range of 9.1% to 25.0% after 300 consecutive cases. Regarding surgical completeness for thyroid cancer, an average of seven lymph nodes was retrieved through central compartment node dissection without fluctuation over time. The proportion of the patients with serum stimulated thyroglobulin levels <10 ng/mL at the time of radioactive iodine remnant ablation after TT and <1 ng/mL 6-12 months after the first remnant ablation ranged between 86.4%-100% and 66.7%-100%, respectively, without significant fluctuation. CONCLUSION: For properly selected patients, robotic thyroid surgery is useful surgical option with reliable technical outcome and surgical completeness and cosmetic benefit.

Comparison of robotic thyroidectomy through the trans-axillary and the anterior chest approach in a por-cine model / 中华内分泌外科杂志

Objective To evaluate the safety of the da Vinci Si surgical system in thyroid surgery and to accumulate operation experience .Methods The da Vinci Si surgical system consists of a surgeon's console, a patient-side robotic cart, and high-definition 3D vision system.The robot arm tips were introduced via a single axillary incision or small chest wall ports and attached to the arms of the robot .The surgeon , sitting at the con-sole, manipulated the EndoWrist instruments and endoscope view that transfer the surgeon 's movements to the arm tips.The so called EndoWrist'technology offers seven degrees of movements ( up, down, left, right, twist, et al) , thus exceeding the capacity of a surgeon's hand in open surgery .The da Vinci Si surgical system was used to perform thyroidectomy in two small pigs .The animals were intubated and kept anesthetized with halothane .Re-sults Four surgical procedures were done using the da Vinci Si system from beginning to the end , including 2 thyroidectomies and 2 thymectomies .No conversions to open or laparoscopic procedure was used .The procedure length was 61 minutes and 50 minutes, respectively.Conclusions Robotic thyroidectomy can be performed safe-ly by the experienced surgeons after short-term da Vinci Si surgical system training .The learning curve for robotic thyroidectomy is shorter .

Gasless Endoscopic Thyroidectomy using the Trans-axillary Approach: Surgical Outcomes of 634 Patients / 대한내분비외과학회지

PURPOSE: Various techniques of minimally invasive thyroid surgery have been introduced during the past decade, including the endoscopic technique. We have developed a novel method of gasless endoscopic thyroidectomy via an axillary approach. The present report describes the technique of this method and the analysis of the surgical outcomes. METHODS: Between Dec. 2001 and Feb. 2008 (the actual operation period was 55 months), 634 patients with thyroid tumors underwent gasless endoscopic thyroidectomy via an axillary approach. The clinical and pathologic characteristics of the patients, the type of operation, the operative time, the post operative hospital stay and the post operative complications were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Among the 634 patients, 176 patients had benign tumor and 458 patients had malignant tumor. The type of operationwas classified according to the extent of surgery. Lymphadenectomy (CCND, SND, MRND) was respectively performed for treating the patients with malignant tumor, depending on the indications. The mean operating time and the mean length of the post-operative hospital stay were 129.4±51.3 minutes, 3.3±1.7 days for benign tumor and 135.5±47 minutes, 3.4±0.9 days for malignancy, respectively. The mean tumor size was 2.7±1.2 (0.4~6.0) cm for benign tumor and 0.78±0.5 (0.1~4.0) cm for malignancy. Central compartment lymph node metastasis was found in 117 (25.6%) patients and lateral neck lymph node metastasis was found in 14 (3.0%) patients. There was no conversion to open thyroidectomy. As for the post-operative complications, transient hypocalcemia occurred in 19 patients, transient hoarseness was noted in 13 patients and permanent vocal cord palsy occurred in 2 patients. For the TNM stage, 406 (88.6%) patients were stage I, 51 (11.2%) patients were stage III and 1 (0.2%) patient was stage IVA. CONCLUSION: According to our experience, gasless endoscopic thyroidectomy using a trans-axillary approach is a feasible and safe method. Endoscopic thyroid surgery has become a new treatment modality for selected patients with benign tumors and it can be an effective treatment for selected patients who suffer with thyroid cancer.