Although the usefulness of various endoscopic thyroid surgery techniques has been reviewed,
little specific information is available regarding ENT surgeons who maybe unfamiliar with laparoscopic surgery and must performing
endoscopic thyroidectomy. We examined the feasibility and safety of endoscopic thyroid surgery via a novel approach
without gas insufflation. Subjects and Method:Forty-one patients undergoing endoscopic hemithyroidectomy via a unilateral
axillo-breast approach without gas insufflation were enrolled in this study. Our indications for endoscopic thyroid surgery were
as follows:1) benign nodules less than 6 cm in diameter, 2) follicular neoplasm less than 6 cm in diameter, and 3) only unilateral
thyroid lesions. The following variables were examined:perioperative complications, operation time, diameter of resected
thyroid nodule, permanent pathology, time of hospital discharge after operation, duration of drain placement, and total amount of
drainage. Results:Postoperative pathology revealed 8 follicular adenomas, 31 nodular hyperplasias, and 2 lymphocytic thyroiditis.
The operating time in the first 10 hemithyroidectomies was 154.0±64.88 min, which was 38.07 min longer than in the
last 31 hemithyroidectomies (115.93±32.64 min;p=0.1426). The amount and duration of postoperative drainage were 249.34±
118.47 mL in 4.01±1.31 days, respectively. The postoperative hospital stay was 6.12±1.99 days. Overall, perioperative complications
occurred in seven patients (7/41, 17.1%), including one transient recurrent laryngeal nerve palsies (2.4%), five seromas
(12.2%), and one hematoma (2.4%), which arose from a subplatysmal skin flap. Conclusion:These results suggest that endoscopic
hemithyroidectomy via a unilateral axillo-breast approach without gas insufflation is safe and effective in selective unilateral
benign thyroid lesions and appears to provide better cosmetic results and a shorter operation time than other endoscopic
thyroidectomy methods. However, more invasiveness due to significant dissection aimed at obtaining an adequate working
space and longer operation time needed than with either traditional open surgery or the minimally invasive video assisted technique
should be overcome through accumulation of experience. (Korean J Otorhinolaryngol-Head Neck Surg 2008;51:805-11)
Although the usefulness of various endoscopic thyroid surgery techniques has been reviewed,
little specific information is available regarding ENT surgeons who maybe unfamiliar with laparoscopic surgery and must performing
endoscopic thyroidectomy. We examined the feasibility and safety of endoscopic thyroid surgery via a novel approach
without gas insufflation. Subjects and Method:Forty-one patients undergoing endoscopic hemithyroidectomy via a unilateral
axillo-breast approach without gas insufflation were enrolled in this study. Our indications for endoscopic thyroid surgery were
as follows:1) benign nodules less than 6 cm in diameter, 2) follicular neoplasm less than 6 cm in diameter, and 3) only unilateral
thyroid lesions. The following variables were examined:perioperative complications, operation time, diameter of resected
thyroid nodule, permanent pathology, time of hospital discharge after operation, duration of drain placement, and total amount of
drainage. Results:Postoperative pathology revealed 8 follicular adenomas, 31 nodular hyperplasias, and 2 lymphocytic thyroiditis.
The operating time in the first 10 hemithyroidectomies was 154.0±64.88 min, which was 38.07 min longer than in the
last 31 hemithyroidectomies (115.93±32.64 min;p=0.1426). The amount and duration of postoperative drainage were 249.34±
118.47 mL in 4.01±1.31 days, respectively. The postoperative hospital stay was 6.12±1.99 days. Overall, perioperative complications
occurred in seven patients (7/41, 17.1%), including one transient recurrent laryngeal nerve palsies (2.4%), five seromas
(12.2%), and one hematoma (2.4%), which arose from a subplatysmal skin flap. Conclusion:These results suggest that endoscopic
hemithyroidectomy via a unilateral axillo-breast approach without gas insufflation is safe and effective in selective unilateral
benign thyroid lesions and appears to provide better cosmetic results and a shorter operation time than other endoscopic
thyroidectomy methods. However, more invasiveness due to significant dissection aimed at obtaining an adequate working
space and longer operation time needed than with either traditional open surgery or the minimally invasive video assisted technique
should be overcome through accumulation of experience. (Korean J Otorhinolaryngol-Head Neck Surg 2008;51:805-11)