Transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy for thyroid carcinoma: outcomes and surgical completeness in 150 single-surgeon cases

Long-term Quality of Life After Thyroidectomy: Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy Vestibular Approach Versus Transcervical Approach

OBJECTIVE

To compare long-term health-related quality of life (HRQOL) after Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy Vestibular Approach (TOETVA) and transcervical approach (TCA) thyroidectomy.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

SETTING

Tertiary referral center.

METHODS

A web-based survey was distributed to patients at our institution who met the criteria for TOETVA and underwent thyroidectomy by TOETVA or TCA between August 2017 and October 2021. All survey participants were at least 6 months postsurgery. Minors, non-English speakers, and patients who received concomitant neck dissection or reoperative thyroidectomy were excluded from the study. The survey assessed quality of life through 4 standardized instruments: the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), the Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10), the Voice Handicap Index (VHI-10), and the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36).

RESULTS

A total of 108 TOETVA and 129 TCA patients were included in the study. The median age of respondents was 44 (36, 54; 25th, 75th percentile) years and median time from surgery to survey was 35 (22, 45; 25th, 75th percentile) months. TOETVA group DLQI (0.63 vs 0.99; P = .17), VHI-10 (1.94 vs 1.67; P = .35), EAT-10 (2.14 vs 2.32; P = .29), SF-36 physical component (52.25 vs 51.00; P = .25), and SF-36 mental component (47.74 vs 47.29; P = .87) scores were all similar to those of the TCA group. Scrutinizing specific DLQI questions, individuals in the TOETVA group were less self-conscious of their skin as compared to the TCA group (Q2; 0.08 vs 0.26, P = .03).

CONCLUSION

Long-term HRQOL after TOETVA is similar to TCA, with significantly lower skin-related self-consciousness.

Bacterial Colonization on Endoscopic Materials and Surgical Field Without Infections After Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy

INTRODUCTION

Our aim was to determine whether bacteria contamination occurred within the surgical field or on endoscopic equipment during surgery using the transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Participants were recruited from patients planned for TOETVA between May 2017 and December 2019. Bacterial samples were taken before and at the conclusion of the TOETVA procedure. The preoperative and postoperative samples were taken from the endoscopic materials and inferior oral vestibulum using a sterile flocked swab.

RESULTS

The study resulted in 480 samples (80 TOETVAs). No vestibular, port site, or neck infections occurred in any of the patients. Three (3.7%) out of 80 patients developed postoperative fever. Our results show different microbial communities during TOETVA. The most prevalent species detected were S treptococcus species. Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that the degree of contamination depended on the sampling site (inferior vestibulum > equipment) ( P =0.03). In addition, the abundance of bacteria was affected by operative time ( P =0.013). There were no significant differences observed in isolation frequencies of bacteria in malignancy ( P =0.34).

CONCLUSIONS

TOETVA surgery is categorized as a "clean-contaminated" operation. A swab identified the common colonizers of oral microbiota on the endoscopic equipment and within the surgical field.

Oncologic outcomes and surgical completeness of remote-access thyroidectomy: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The oncologic safety and surgical completeness of remote-access thyroidectomies are not yet clearly established. This study evaluates the oncologic outcomes and surgical completeness of three prevalent remote-access thyroidectomies: the gasless transaxillary approach (GTAA), bilateral axillo-breast approach (BABA), and transoral approach (TOA), in comparison with conventional transcervical thyroidectomy (CTT).

METHODS

Literature searches were conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library databases, covering the period from 2000 to 2023. Network meta-analyses were performed on selected studies, focusing on recurrence and surgical completeness. Surgical completeness was assessed using stimulated serum thyroglobulin levels and the count of retrieved lymph nodes.

RESULTS

The review included 48 studies, encompassing a total of 16,356 patients. The number of retrieved lymph nodes was comparable among BABA, TOA, and CTT, while GTAA might be less effective. Stimulated serum thyroglobulin levels showed no significant differences across the four groups. However, the proportion of patients with stimulated thyroglobulin levels below 1.0 ng/mL was significantly lower in GTAA compared to the other groups. The overall recurrence rates were 1.31% for CTT, 0.89% for GTAA, 0.62% for BABA, and 0% for TOA, with no significant differences in recurrence rates when adjusted for follow-up duration.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated that the oncologic outcomes of GTAA, BABA, and TOA are comparable to those of CTT, based on recurrence rates. In terms of surgical completeness, BABA and TOA showed equivalence to CTT, whereas GTAA might be inferior to the other techniques.

Comparison of surgical outcomes of transoral robotic and endoscopic thyroidectomy: A systematic review and network meta-analysis

This study aimed to compare surgical outcomes of transoral robotic thyroidectomy (TORT) and transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA), concurrently compared with conventional transcervical thyroidectomy (CTT). A network meta-analysis, comprising 23 studies, was performed in this study. The operative time of the CTT group was significantly shorter than that of the TOETVA and TORT groups. The hospital stay of the TOETVA group was significantly longer than that of the CTT group. Rates of transient recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy and total complications were higher in association with TOETVA than with TORT. No significant differences were found between the three groups in intraoperative blood loss, retrieved lymph nodes, postoperative pain, and other complications. Cosmetic satisfaction was significantly superior with TORT and TOETVA than with CTT. Compared with CTT, TOETVA and TORT showed superior cosmesis but no significant difference in surgical outcomes except for operative time and hospital stay.

Future Directions in the Treatment of Thyroid and Parathyroid Disease

The surgical management of thyroid and parathyroid disease has evolved considerably since the era of Theodor Kocher. We review the current trends in thyroid and parathyroid surgery concerning robotic surgery for remote access, the use of parathyroid autofluorescence detection technology to aid in the prevention of hypocalcemia as well as the use of thermal ablation to target thyroid nodules in a minimally invasive way. We also discuss how artificial intelligence is being used to improve the workflow and diagnostics preoperatively as well as for intraoperative decision-making. We also discuss potential areas where future research may enhance outcomes.

Surgical methods of total thyroidectomy for differentiated thyroid cancer: a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Emerging remote-access surgical methods are utilized to treat differentiated thyroid cancer. The study aimed to compare the surgical integrity, safety, efficacy, and postoperative experience of patients among common surgical methods.

METHODS

The PubMed, Medline, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases were searched from their inception until March 2023. Pairwise meta-analysis and Bayesian network meta-analysis were performed. The surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) was used to illuminate the probability that each method would be the best for each outcome.

RESULTS

Thirty-two studies comprising 7042 patients were included. Robotic bilateral axillo-breast approach (RBABA) and robotic gasless transaxillary approach (RGAA) retrieved fewer lymph nodes (LNs) than open thyroidectomy (OT). RBABA showed a significantly lower permanent recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) palsy rate than OT. According to SUCRA values, endoscopic transoral approach (EOA) ranked the highest in retrieved LNs (0.84), the proportion of stimulated serum thyroglobulin less than 1.0 ng/ml (0.77), and the pain score (0.77). Endoscopic bilateral areola approach (EBAA) ranked the highest in the transient RLN palsy rate (0.72). The endoscopic gasless transaxillary approach (EGAA) ranked the highest in the transient hypoparathyroidism rate (0.78). RBABA ranked the highest in the rate of permanent RLN palsy (0.94) and hypoparathyroidism (0.77). OT ranked the highest in operative time (0.92).

CONCLUSIONS

Each surgical method of total thyroidectomy has benefits and limitations. EOA performed the best in maintaining surgical integrality and reducing the pain score, while taking a long operative time. Generally, RBABA showed the best advantage in protecting parathyroid glands and RLN but with the longest operative time. OT had the best advantage in operative time. Therefore, OT and EOA are ideal methods for patients with a higher risk of central LN metastasis. RBABA and EOA may not be suitable for elderly patients or those with high anesthesia risk.

Surgical outcomes of endoscopic thyroidectomy approaches for thyroid cancer: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

Objectives

This network meta-analysis assesses the outcomes of seven endoscopic approaches, offering valuable insights for researchers and practitioners in choosing the best method for thyroid cancer patients.

Methods

A systematic literature search was conducted in the PubMed, Embase and Web of Science databases up to March 2023. The analysis included seven endoscopic approaches, with a focus on their respective outcomes through network meta-analysis.

Results

This meta-analysis included 44 studies involving 8,672 patients. The axillo-bilateral breast approach (ABBA) and unilateral axillo-breast approach (UABA) showed advantages in terms of reduced operative time compared to other approaches (MD = 19.66 minutes, 95% CI = -31.66 to 70.98; MD = 30.32 minutes, 95% CI = -1.45 to 62.09, respectively). The UABA and anterior chest approach (ACA) exhibited superiority in controlling intraoperative bleeding (MD = -3.37 mL, 95% CI = -22.58 to 15.85; MD = -13.77 mL, 95% CI = -28.85 1.31, respectively). UABA and ACA also showed advantages in reducing hospital stays (MD = -0.39 days, 95% CI = -1.48 to 0.71; MD = -0.26 days, 95% CI = -1.33 to 0.81, respectively). The transoral approach (OA) yielded results comparable to those of conventional open thyroidectomy (COT) and outperformed other endoscopic surgeries with regards to lymph node retrieval and metastatic lymph node assessment. For the stimulated serum thyroglobulin (TG) levels, no significant difference was observed between bilateral axillo-breast approach (BABA) and OA compared to COT. However, chest-breast approach (CBA) showed significantly lower levels than COT (MD=-0.40 ng/ml, 95% CI =-0.72 to -0.09). Patients in the gasless unilateral transaxillary approach (GUA) group experienced a significant improvement in cosmetic satisfaction (MD=-2.08, 95% CI =-3.35 to -0.82). Importantly, no significant difference was observed in the incidence of surgical complications between endoscopic thyroidectomy and COT.

Conclusion

Endoscopic thyroid surgery is a safe and effective choice for thyroid cancer patients. Different approaches have their advantages, allowing personalized selection based on the patient's needs. ABBA and UABA have shorter operative times, while UABA and ACA excel at controlling bleeding and shortening hospital stays. OA shows promise for lymph node assessment. These findings contribute to the growing evidence supporting endoscopic methods, expanding treatment options for thyroid cancer patients.

Safety and Efficacy of Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy Vestibular Approach Versus Conventional Open Thyroidectomy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA) versus conventional open thyroidectomy (COT) for some thyroid diseases.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Databases PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were searched. Full-text English papers that described TOETVA and COT for people with thyroid diseases were included. Randomized, nonrandomized, controlled, and uncontrolled trials were all included. Extracted data included population characteristics and intraoperative and postoperative complications.

RESULTS

A total of 2 randomized controlled trials and 10 retrospective studies, including 3048 patients, were included in the meta-analysis. Meta-analysis results suggested that the intraoperative conditions and postoperative complication rates did not differ significantly between the two groups. However, in the TOETVA group, there is a slightly longer operative time [weighted mean difference (WMD): 73.64; 95% CI: 49.34 to 97.94; P < 0.0001], drainage (WMD: 91.0; 95% CI: 35.52 to 146.48; P = 0.001), and hospital stay (WMD: 0.28; 95% CI: 0.18 to 0.38; P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

For most of the benign thyroid nodules and selected patients with papillary thyroid cancer, TOETVA seems to be as feasible and safe as COT.

Efficacy and Safety of Minimally Invasive Thyroid Surgery: A Network Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVES

Minimally invasive and remote surgical approaches for thyroid tumors have been developed primarily for cosmetic benefit. However, conventional meta-analysis could not provide comparative data between new techniques. This network meta-analysis would be able to provide data for clinicians and patients to compare cosmetic satisfaction and morbidity by comparing surgical methods.

DATA SOURCES

The PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, SCOPUS, Web of Science, Cochrane Trials, and Google Scholar.

REVIEW METHODS

The nine interventions included minimally invasive video-assisted thyroidectomy (MIVA), endoscopic and robotic bilateral axillo-breast-approach thyroidectomy (EBAB and RBAB, respectively), endoscopic and robotic retro-auricular thyroidectomy (EPA and RPA, respectively), endoscopic or robotic transaxillary thyroidectomy (EAx and RAx, respectively), endoscopic and robotic transoral approaches (EO and RO, respectively), and a conventional thyroidectomy. We recorded the operative outcomes and perioperative complications; pairwise and network meta-analyses were performed.

RESULTS

EO, RBAB, and RO were associated with good patient cosmetic satisfaction. EAx, EBAB, EO, RAx, and RBAB were associated with significantly more postoperative drainage than the other methods. Postoperatively, more flap problems and wound infections were found in the RO than control group, and more transient vocal cord palsy was found in the EAx and EBAB groups. MIVA ranked first in terms of operative time, postoperative drainage amount, postoperative pain, and hospitalization, but cosmetic satisfaction was low. EAx, RAx, and MIVA ranked higher than the other approaches in terms of operative bleeding.

CONCLUSION

It was confirmed that minimally invasive thyroidectomy achieves high cosmetic satisfaction and is not inferior to conventional thyroidectomy in terms of surgical results or perioperative complications. Laryngoscope, 133:2470-2479, 2023.

Transoral endoscopic and robotic thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer: the mid-term oncological outcome

BACKGROUND

Traditional open thyroidectomy is the surgical standard for thyroid cancer; however, it inevitably leaves a visible scar on the neck and affects the patient's quality of life. Therefore, to avoid making a neck incision, the transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA) and transoral robotic thyroidectomy (TORT) have been developed recently, and the surgical outcomes of these techniques are as favorable as open surgery for benign disease. Additionally, positive short-term surgical outcomes have also been achieved in a few patients with thyroid cancer. However, no data on the mid-to-long-term recurrence and survival rates of transoral thyroidectomy in thyroid cancer are available. Therefore, in this study, we analyzed the surgical outcomes and mid-term oncological results of the TOETVA and TORT in patients with thyroid cancer.

METHODS

We reviewed patients who had received TOETVA or TORT between July 2017 and November 2021 and followed up on their oncological outcomes until December 2022. Perioperative surgical and mid-term oncological outcomes were analyzed.

RESULTS

The 115 patients underwent 122 operations (57 TOETVAs and 65 TORTs), including seven complete thyroidectomies for differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC), Stage I-II, including T1-T3, N0-N1a, and initial low- to high-risk groups. There was no conversion from transoral to open surgery. TORT required a longer operating time (median [interquartile range]) than TOETVA (lobectomy: 279 [250, 318] vs. 196 [173, 253] min, p < 0.001; bilateral total thyroidectomy: 375 [309, 433] vs. 279 [238, 312] min, p < 0.001); however, no difference was found between the two groups regarding perioperative complications. Complete thyroidectomy with a second transoral approach was safe. TOETVA and TORT achieved favorable oncological outcomes with 100% survival and 98.2% acceptable response (excellent and indeterminate response) during a mean 37.88 ± 12.42 months mid-term follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Transoral endoscopic and robotic thyroidectomy was safe and achieved favorable mid-term oncological outcomes in a selected cohort of patients with early-stage DTC.

Is transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy safe for total thyroidectomy compared to open thyroidectomy? A propensity-score matched cohort study with papillary thyroid carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy via vestibular approach (TOETVA) has become increasingly popular in the treatment of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). This study aimed to describe the safety and feasibility of total thyroidectomy between the TOETVA and open thyroidectomy (OT) approaches for the treatment of patients with PTC.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed 780 consecutive patients suffering from PTC that had undergone total thyroidectomy using TOETVA (n = 107) and OT (n = 673) between April 2016 and December 2021 at our institute. Afterward, a total of 101 matched patients' surgical outcomes were compared using propensity score matching (PSM) analysis.

RESULTS

Before PSM, the patients in the TOETVA group were younger (p < 0.001), had a lower body mass index (p < 0.001) and a greater female population (p < 0.001). After PSM, the TOETVA group was associated with significantly longer operative time (p < 0.001), greater blood loss (p < 0.001), total drainage amount (p < 0.001), higher C-reaction protein level (p < 0.001), better cosmetic satisfaction (p < 0.001) and quality of life (p < 0.001) and lower scar self-consciousness (p < 0.001). There was no statistical difference between the groups in the rate of parathyroid autotransplantation and bilateral lymph node dissection, the positivity of lymph node metastasis, number of dissected lymph nodes and positive lymph nodes, multifocality, postoperative level of blood calcium and parathyroid hormone (PTH), rate of PTH < 15 ng/mL, visual analog scale score, duration of hospital stay, complications, mean thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)-stimulated Tg level before radioactive iodine, mean Tg level without TSH stimulation, and the proportion of serum Tg level of <1.

CONCLUSION

TOETVA is a safe and feasible technique for better cosmetic effects and similar surgical outcomes compared to conventional open surgery for the studied patients that required total thyroidectomy.

Clinical efficacy and inflammatory reaction of submental endoscopic thyroidectomy versus conventional thyroidectomy: A prospective randomized study

OBJECTIVES

This prospective study aimed to explore the clinical efficacy and inflammatory reaction of submental endoscopic thyroidectomy versus conventional thyroidectomy.

METHODS

We prospectively recruited 45 patients (total 90 patients) who met the eligibility criteria to undergo conventional open thyroidectomy or submental endoscopic thyroidectomy from January 2021 to July 2022 in the Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. These patients were evaluated using the following indices: number of lymph nodes dissected, complications, pain severity, inflammatory indicators, cosmetic satisfaction, and economic cost. All data were analyzed by the t-test or chi-squared test.

RESULTS

Ninety patients were enrolled. The two groups did not significantly differ regarding baseline characteristics. All patients who underwent thyroidectomy had a similar trauma index and increased level of inflammation. There were no significant differences between the open thyroidectomy and submental endoscopic thyroidectomy groups in the total number of lymph nodes dissected, number of positive lymph nodes, drainage volume, and complications. The Vancouver scar score and cosmetic satisfaction score were significantly better in the submental endoscopic thyroidectomy group than the open thyroidectomy group. The submental endoscopic thyroidectomy group had a significantly lower pain scores on postoperative days 1 and 2, less downtime, and cheaper medical and esthetic costs than the open thyroidectomy group.

CONCLUSION

Compared with conventional open thyroidectomy, submental endoscopic thyroidectomy did not increase the degree of trauma, had superior clinical efficacy, caused less pain, required a shorter downtime, achieved a better cosmetic effect, and was associated with lower healthcare costs.

Transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach as a safe and feasible alternative to open thyroidectomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA) is a scarless alternative to open thyroidectomy (OT). This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to synthesize evidence comparing the intraoperative and postoperative outcomes of TOETVA and OT.

METHODS

A systematic literature search of PubMed, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar was performed to identify studies comparing the outcomes of TOETVA and OT published before February 2023. The outcomes of interest were operative time, intraoperative blood loss, hospital stay, postoperative pain, number of central lymph nodes retrieved, number of metastatic central lymph nodes, and incidences of transient and permanent recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, transient and permanent hypocalcemia, hematoma, and infection.

RESULTS

Thirteen studies published between 2016 and 2022, involving a total of 2889 patients (TOETVA, n =1085; OT, n =1804) were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. Meta-analysis showed that the TOETVA group had a significantly longer overall operative time (weighted mean difference [WMD] 55.19; 95% CI, 39.15, 71.23; P <0.001), longer hospital stay (WMD, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.14, 0.39; P <0.001), and lower pain scores on postoperative day 1 (WMD, -1.41; 95% CI, -2.79, -0.03; P =0.04) than the OT group. Other intraoperative and postoperative outcomes were not significantly different between the groups.

CONCLUSION

TOETVA has a similar safety profile to OT with less postoperative pain, making it an appropriate and more cosmetically appealing alternative to OT for select patients.

Single-port endoscopy-assisted thyroidectomy via cervical gas-insufflation approach for papillary thyroid carcinoma: A pilot retrospective comparative study

PURPOSE

This study aims to investigate the safety and efficacy of our novel technique of single-port endoscopy-assisted thyroidectomy via cervical gas-insufflation approach (SPEAT, also called the Huang procedure) in the treatment of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We perform a retrospective comparative study from a prospectively maintained database. A cohort of 82 patients with PTC who underwent total thyroidectomy and central neck dissection were included. Of these patients, 48 underwent SPEAT and 34 underwent conventional open thyroidectomy (COT). The differences in surgical outcome and oncological completeness were compared.

RESULTS

Compared with the COT group, the SPEAT group had obviously shorter incision (P < 0.001), less postoperative pain (P = 0.036), better cosmetic satisfaction (P = 0.001)and slightly longer operating time (P = 0.041). In intraoperative bleeding, postoperative drainage, postoperative hospital stay, surgical complications, number of dissected or positive lymph nodes per patient, and postoperative non-stimulated or stimulated thyroglobulin levels, there were no significant differences.

CONCLUSIONS

SPEAT (the Huang procedure) is a minimally invasive, safe and oncologically complete surgical option for PTC in selected patients.

Surgical completeness and safety of minimally invasive thyroidectomy in patients with thyroid cancer: A network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

To assess the surgical outcomes of various minimally invasive and remote-access surgical approaches for thyroid cancer patients.

METHODS

We collected studies from January 2020 to July 2022 in 6 databases. Pairwise and network meta-analyses were performed for outcomes and complications of 9 minimally invasive interventions (minimally invasive video-assisted, endoscopic or robotic bilateral axillo-breast approach, endoscopic or robotic postauricular, endoscopic or robot transaxillary approach, transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach or robotic thyroidectomy) and conventional thyroidectomy (control).

RESULTS

Multiplicity and bilaterality of cancer, lymph node metastasis, and coincidence of thyroiditis showed no significant difference between minimally invasive interventions and control. However, larger tumor size (robotic bilateral axillo-breast approach standardized mean difference -1.3989, 95% confidence interval [-2.1717 to -0.6262]), higher body mass index (robot transaxillary approach standardized mean difference -0.5350, 95% confidence interval [-0.9557 to -0.1144], robotic bilateral axillo-breast approach standardized mean difference -0.2301, 95% confidence interval [-0.4389 to -0.0214]), and frequent extrathyroidal extension (robotic bilateral axillo-breast approach standardized mean difference 0.7435, 95% confidence interval [0.5602-0.9869]) were observed in control. In surgical outcomes and adverse effects, there was no significant difference in hospitalization or retrieved lymph node number between minimally invasive interventions and control. However, longer operative time was observed in the robotic bilateral axillo-breast approach(standardized mean difference 6.5393, 95% confidence interval [5.0476-8.0309]) and transoral robotic thyroidectomy (standardized mean difference 5.4946, 95% confidence interval [2.9984-7.9907]) groups than in control. In surgical completion, the rate of low postoperative serum thyroglobulin, postoperative thyroglobulin level, and postoperative radioactive iodine ablation dose showed no significant difference between minimally invasive interventions and control.

CONCLUSION

Minimally invasive thyroidectomy did not show inferior results compared to conventional thyroidectomy despite the longer operative time. Surgeons need to prudently consider all aspects of patients to determine the proper surgical approach for thyroid cancer.

The Role of High-Resolution Ultrasound in the Assessment of Surgical Candidates for Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy Via Vestibular Approach (TOETVA)

The approach of surgical techniques has evolved significantly over the last decade, with natural orifice surgeries replacing traditional open approaches. In 2016, Angkoon Anuwong, in Thailand, demonstrated it was possible to perform thyroidectomies in a series of patients by a transoral endoscopic ap-proach - transoral endoscopy thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA) - with similar complication rates when compared to conventional surgeries. This transoral surgery has become a safe alternative with better cosmetic results, compared to conventional open-route procedures, like Kocher cervi-cotomy. Indeed, it is an option to surgically treat neoplastic and functional thyroid diseases. The technique is performed through a median incision in the oral vestibule, plus two bilateral incisions, followed by the insertion of three trocars, one centrally for a camera, and two laterally for working instruments. Although revolutionary, TOETVA has its technical limitations. Therefore, it is important to precisely define the preoperative eligibility criteria for this type of surgical approach. High-resolution ultrasound is the first imaging modality for the assessment of thyroid nodules, lymph node metastases and surgical field. The aim of this article is to outline the sonographic technique and the role of high-resolution ultrasound in the presurgical evaluation of TOETVA.

Transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy with or without central neck dissection

PURPOSES

Minimally invasive thyroid surgeries are universally accepted. We report on one, transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy with or without central neck dissection.

METHODS

A case series of 103 patients were operated on between December 2018 and December 2021. We performed transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA) for 76 patients with a benign nodule, and 27 with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). The patients with malignant nodules also underwent ipsilateral central neck dissection. The extent of surgery, operative time and operative complications were analyzed.

RESULT

No cases were converted to open surgery. Average tumor size was 3.8 ± 1.62 cm, mean operative time was 116.5 ± 41.7 min, median blood loss 40.1 ± 49 mL. There were 95 patients with lobectomy and 8 patients with total thyroidectomy. Temporary hoarseness occurred in 9 patients (8.7 %). No patients developed permanent hoarseness. Twelve patients had middle chin numbness.

CONCLUSION

The transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach, with or without central neck dissection, is a safe, effective and highly aesthetic treatment.

The ambulatory transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach is safe and economical for patients with thyroid nodules

BACKGROUND

Ambulatory thyroid surgery has been increasingly performed in recent years. However, the feasibility of the ambulatory transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA) has not been evaluated. We aimed to evaluate the safety, economy, and mental health outcomes of ambulatory TOETVA.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the data of patients who underwent TOETVA between March 2019 and August 2022. The procedure was performed by a skilled surgical team from the Department of Thyroid Surgery of the affiliated Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital of Qingdao University. Patients were enrolled in the ambulatory (n=166) and conventional (n=290) groups, based on their chosen procedure. We analyzed patients' clinical characteristics, surgical outcomes, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) scores, and hospitalization costs.

RESULTS

Of 456 patients, 166 underwent ambulatory TOETVA and 290 underwent conventional TOETVA. No significant differences were found in clinical and surgical characteristics between the groups, including sex (P=0.363), age (P=0.077), body mass index (P=0.351), presence of internal diseases (P=0.613), presence of Hashimoto's thyroiditis (P=0.429), pathology (P=0.362), maximum tumor diameter (P=0.520), scope of surgery (P=0.850), or operative time (P=0.351). There were no significant differences in maximum tumor diameter (P=0.349), extrathyroidal tissue invasion (P=0.516), number of retrieved central lymph nodes (P=0.069), or metastatic central lymph nodes (P=0.897) between the groups. No significant differences were found in complications, including transient hypoparathyroidism (P=0.438), transient vocal cord palsy (P=0.876), transient mental nerve injury (P=0.749), permanent mental nerve injury (P=0.926), and other complications (P=1.000). Ambulatory patients had shorter hospital stays (P<0.001) and reduced hospitalization costs (P<0.001). There was no significant difference in HAM-A scores between the groups (P=0.056).

CONCLUSIONS

Ambulatory TOETVA is a safe, feasible, and cost-effective procedure for selected patients. This procedure resulted in shorter hospital stays, decreased medical costs, and did not increase patient anxiety. To ensure patient safety, surgical teams must inform patients of the indications, when to seek help, and how to receive the fastest medical attention.

Transoral thyroid surgery vestibular approach

Objectives

Transoral thyroid surgery vestibular approach (TOETVA) is a novel and feasible surgical technique that allows for cervical surgery without visible incisions. TOETVA represents a new frontier in endocrine surgery since aesthetic results play a more and more decisive role in elective surgery. However, acceptance is different around the world with widespread prevalence in Asian countries and some high-volume centres in the US. While inclusion criteria for TOETVA are limited regarding size and volume a combination with other extracervical techniques like the retroauricular endoscopic cephalic access thyroid surgery (EndoCATS) approach or transaxillary access is an option.

Methods

TOETVA is carried out through a three-port technique placed at the oral vestibule. Originally one 10-mm port for a 30° endoscope and two additional 5-mm ports for dissecting and coagulating instruments are used. Alternatively, one 5-mm and one or two 3 mm ports can be used. CO2 insufflation pressure is set at 6 mmHg. An additional device to optimize gas outflow for optimum view might be helpful. An anterior cervical subplatysmal space is created by hydrodissection from the oral vestibule to the sternal notch, laterally to the sternocleidomastoid muscle. Conventional endoscopic instruments are used. Combination of TOETVA with a modified retroauricular access includes insertion of a 10-12 mm trocar placed subcutaneously via a skin incision on the scalp, behind the ear by blunt dissection.

Results

Since Anuwong published the first case series of 60 patients who underwent scarless thyroidectomy via the lower vestibule of the mouth with excellent results in 2016 almost 1,000 cases are reported in literature to date with comparable results especially regarding traditional complications. In contrast to other extracervical approaches, areolar or axillary for example, the transoral access route is short and the dissection planes are rather like transcervical surgery. Surgical indications and contraindications have been modified since its first description and are partly institution specific to date. To amend indications combination with other extracervical techniques is an option. In addition, patients must carefully be selected for and surgeons` candidacy is of utmost importance in transoral surgery.

Conclusions

Transoral surgery will likely continue to gain attraction as surgeons become more experienced with the technique. With increased operative use and surgeon experience the gap in conventional outcomes between transoral surgery and the transcervical approach will narrow, with both operative time and the incidence of specific complications diminishing. Experience in thyroid and endoscopic surgery is required to achieve excellent results with low complication rates. However, the new transoral technique is related to novel complications that must be evaluated.

Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy by Vestibular Approach for Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma with Tumor Size ≥2 cm

Background: The transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy by vestibular approach (TOETVA) has been developed for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) treatment with satisfactory results. However, there were few malignant thyroid nodules ≥2 cm in previous studies of TOETVA. Therefore, we conducted this study to evaluate the results of treatment by TOETVA for PTC with tumor size ≥2 cm. Materials and Methods: The clinical characteristics and surgical outcomes of 10 PTC patients with tumor size ≥2 cm who underwent TOETVA in our center from June 2018 to August 2021 were, respectively, reviewed. Results: All 10 included PTC patients successfully underwent TOETVA and the mean tumor size was 2.5 ± 0.5 cm. The mean number lymph nodes dissected was 9.6 ± 2.9, and 3.1 ± 3.3 positive lymph nodes were discovered. Postoperatively, transient hypoparathyroidism was recorded in 2 patients (20%), transient recurrent laryngeal nerve injury was noted in 1 patient (10%), transient superior laryngeal nerve injury was noted in 1 patient (10%), and numb chin was identified in 1 patient (10%). The postoperative complications aforementioned recovered within 6 months. During a median follow-up of 23.8 ± 13.1 months, no other complications or tumor recurrence were found. Conclusions: TOETVA is feasible for PTC patients with tumor size ≥2 cm and satisfactory short-term surgical outcomes have achieved in this study. We suggested that experienced surgeons can gradually expand the indications for TOETVA.

Factors Influencing the Acceptance of Endoscopic Thyroidectomy Via Oral Vestibular Approach (ETOVA) by Thyroid Surgery Candidates

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the factors affecting the acceptance of endoscopic thyroidectomy via the oral vestibular approach (ETOVA) in Chinese patients before thyroid surgery.

METHODS

The enrolled patients were asked to answer a questionnaire postoperatively about their demographics, medical insurance coverage, sources of information, reasons for selection, and safety. The relationship between the collected data and the acceptance of ETOVA was analyzed.

RESULTS

Two hundred patients (40 males, 20%; 160 females, 80%) answered the questionnaire. One hundred sixty-two of them (81%) accepted ETOVA. Univariate analysis showed that the patients' age, cosmetic effect, safety, results perception, and recommendations from family, friends, doctors, and nurses are correlated with the acceptance of ETOVA. Multivariate analysis showed that patients' age (OR=0.966, P=0.015), cosmetic effect (OR=12.620, P=0.000), safety (OR=0.295, P=0.016), minimal invasion (OR=4.877, P=0.001), and doctors/nurses' advance (OR=4.485, P=0.017) are statistically significant and were positively correlated with the acceptance of ETOVA. Education level, medical insurance coverage, family support, past surgical history, and operative-related symptoms were not statistically significant (P>0.05).

CONCLUSION

Among thyroid surgery candidates in Southwest China, younger patients with cosmetic requirements and minimally invasive procedures desires are more likely to consider ETOVA at the urging of their physicians/nurses. Providing appropriate healthcare education, medical insurance coverage, and information options for surgical treatments is vital to improving patients' acceptance of ETOVA.

Safety and feasibility of the transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach with neuroprotection techniques for papillary thyroid carcinoma

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and safety of the trans-oral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA) with neuroprotection techniques for the surgical management of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).

METHODS

Patients with PTC who underwent TOETVA between December 2016 and July 2020 were included in this study, and their relevant clinical characteristics, operational details, and surgical outcomes were reviewed and extracted from their medical records for further analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 75 patients successfully underwent TOETVA with zero conversions. Unilateral lobectomy with isthmectomy and total thyroidectomy were completed for 58 and 17 patients, respectively, all using our unique neuroprotective procedure and ipsilateral central neck dissection (CND). The mean number of retrieved lymph nodes versus positive lymph nodes was 6.8 ± 3.7 vs. 1.5 ± 2.3. Postoperative complications included three cases of transient superior laryngeal nerve (SLN) palsy (4.0%), five cases of transient recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) palsy (6.7%), 14 cases of transient hypoparathyroidism (18.7%), two cases of numb chin (2.7%) and two cases of flap perforation (2.7%). The follow-up period for patients with PTC lasted for 15.6 ± 10.9 months, during which no other complications or tumor recurrence were observed.

CONCLUSION

TOETVA can be safely performed for patients with PTC with satisfactory results during the short-term follow-up period. Our neuroprotection techniques can be integrated into TOETVA, which is worth recommending for PTC patients who desire better cosmetic surgical outcomes.

Transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy by vestibular approach in Viet Nam: surgical outcomes and long-term follow-up

BACKGROUND

The transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy by vestibular approach (TOETVA) has been developed for early-stage thyroid cancer treatment as well as benign thyroid nodules worldwide including Viet Nam, with low rate of complications and excellent results. However, there has not been any comprehensive studies with a large number of patients and long-term follow-up in our country. Therefore, we conducted this study to evaluate the results of treatment by TOETVA for benign and malignant lesions of thyroid gland in Viet Nam.

METHODS

A prospective study was performed on 326 eligible patients who underwent TOETVA due to thyroid cancer and benign thyroid nodules in Department of Oncology and Palliative Care, Hanoi Medical University Hospital from July 2018 to April 2021. The clinical, surgical, and pathological characteristics, postoperative complications, and visual analog scale (VAS, 0-10 cm) score in day 1, 4, and 7 after surgery, long-term oncological and surgical outcomes were recorded.

RESULTS

The mean age was 36.9 ± 9.8 years. 231 patients (70.9%) were diagnosed with differentiated cancer and 95 patients (29.1%) were diagnosed benign tumors of thyroid gland. In the cancer group, 12 patients (5.2%) undergone TOETVA had T3b-intraoperative-stage diagnosis, 219 patients (92.2%) were diagnosed T1 according to AJCC 8th. After 1 month of surgery, among thyroid cancer patients, there was no abnormality reported by thyroid scintigraphy and neck ultrasound as well as in unstimulated-Tg and anti-Tg values. The mean number lymph-node dissected in the cancer group was 6.1 ± 4.1 (range 0-21 nodes). However, only 2.6 ± 1.8 metastasis nodes were discovered (range 1-8 nodes), and the maximum size of these nodes was less than 2 mm. 81 patients presented occult lymph-node metastasis among thyroid cancer patients with cN0 stage (account for 35%). The occult lymph-node metastasis was 34.2% and 50% in patients diagnosed with T1 and T3b groups, respectively. The median postoperative hospital stay was 5.4 ± 0.7 days. Postoperatively, transient hypoparathyroidism was recorded in 12 patients (4.8%), transient hoarse was noted in 9 patients (3.6%), and numb chin was identified in 7 patients (2.8%). No permanent complication was noted. VAS score on first postoperative day was 4.5 ± 0.8. Median follow-up time was 12 (3-25) months. No recurrence was recorded.

CONCLUSIONS

TOETVA is an innovative and revolutionary technique in the treatment of benign thyroid nodules, as well as early-stage differentiated thyroid cancer. The results of oncology, postoperative complications, and satisfied outcomes supported the wide application of TOETVA in Viet Nam.

Comparison Between Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy Vestibular Approach (TOETVA) and Conventional Open Thyroidectomy for Patients Undergoing Total Thyroidectomy and Central Neck Dissection: A Propensity Score-Matching Analysis

Background

Use of the novel transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA) is increasing worldwide. Although several studies have compared safety and efficacy of TOETVA and other approaches, most focused on comparisons in the context of unilateral thyroidectomy. Therefore, the present study aimed to compare the safety and surgical completeness of TOETVA with conventional open thyroidectomy (COT) in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) undergoing total thyroidectomy and central neck dissection.

Methods

The medical records of patients who underwent TOETVA or COT by a single surgeon between June 2017 and October 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. All patients were diagnosed with PTC and underwent total thyroidectomy with central neck dissection. Propensity score-matching (PSM) was used to reduce potential selection bias and to adjust for differences in baseline clinicopathological characteristics.

Results

After PSM, 84 (TOETVA: 28; COT: 56) patients remained in the study population. There were no significant differences in sex, mean age, combined thyroiditis, tumor size, capsule invasion, tumor multifocality in the same lobe, or tumor location between the groups. Operative time was longer (190.54 ± 28.26 vs. 123.93 ± 29.78 min, P<0.001), while postoperative drainage volume (161.07 ± 225.30 vs. 71.16 ± 28.56 ml, P=0.045) was greater, in the TOETVA group than in the COT group. The groups exhibited no significant differences in the mean number of central lymph nodes retrieved (9.39 ± 4.01 vs. 10.71 ± 5.17, P=0.202), mean number of metastatic central lymph nodes (1.36 ± 1.93 vs. 1.77 ± 2.31, P=0.421), postoperative mean thyroglobulin levels (0.08 ± 0.24 vs. 0.10 ± 0.27, P=0.686), rate of transient hypoparathyroidism (TOETVA: 67.9% vs. COT: 66.1%, P=0.870), rate of transient vocal cord palsy (TOETVA: 0% vs. COT: 1.8%, P=1.000), or other complications (TOETVA: 3.6% vs. COT: 0%, P=0.333).

Conclusions

TOETVA is a safe approach in select patients with PTC and exhibits similar efficacy to COT in terms of surgical completeness.

Scarless total thyroidectomy via transoral endoscopic vestibular approach: initial case series in a developing Asian country

Conventional open thyroidectomy may leave a visible scar postoperatively and can lead to impaired quality of life. Since 2016, the transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy via vestibular approach (TOETVA) has gained popularity due to being a true 'scarless' procedure. However, minimally invasive thyroidectomy has not been widely adopted in the Philippines yet. From August 2019 to December 2019, nine patients (mean thyroid nodule size of 3.1 cm) underwent TOETVA with one open conversion due to adherent papillary cancer. Majority had a blood loss of <100 ml, whereas mean operative time was 149.8 ± 20.5 minutes. Five patients developed hypocalcemia (three transient), whereas two patients reported transient lower lip numbness. TOETVA is a safe and feasible novel procedure for both benign and malignant thyroid diseases. Care must be taken in selecting patients who opt for TOETVA, and that surgeons should reassess their limitations before implementing this technique in their surgical practice.

Complications of Trans-oral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy Vestibular Approach: A Systematic Review

This review focuses on complications linked to trans-oral endoscopic thyroidectomy via vestibular approach (TOETVA) and aimed to elucidate the procedure's initial safety profile. According to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), Pubmed, Embase, and the Cochrane databases were screened till May 2021. Twenty-eight articles, nine cohorts and nineteen case series, met the inclusion criteria. Procedure-related complications were analyzed, the most important being hypoparathyroidism: transient (range=0.94-22.2%), permanent (range=1.33-2.22%), and recurrent laryngeal nerve injury: transient (range=1.9-8.8%) and permanent (range=0.59-1.42%). Surgical trauma related complications, the most prevalent being seroma, emphysema, and hematoma accounted for 2.91%. Null mortality was reported. Although current evolving experience indicates that TOETVA is safe and linked to acceptable complication rates, the method needs to be compared with the gold standard of traditional thyroidectomy in the context of sufficiently numbered cohorts and ultimately randomized controlled trials.

Comparison of Different Mandibular Jawlines Classifications on Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy for Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma: Experiences of 690 Cases

BACKGROUND

The influences of patients' different mandibular jawlines on transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy via vestibular approach (TOETVA) have not been described before. The objective of this study was to introduce a new classification to assess different mandibular jawlines, and to evaluate the effects on TOETVA in terms of safety, feasibility, and postoperative feelings in the treatment of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).

METHODS

The crossing angle of esthetic plane and mandibular plane was defined as Wang Angle, used to assess patients' different mandibular jawlines. Mandibular classifications of A (angle: 80° ~ 110°), B (angle > 110°), and C (angle < 80°) types were compared to evaluate the surgical outcomes of TOETVA by a retrospective study. 690 patients of PTC who received TOETVA were included in this study, which were divided into three groups according to mandibular classifications.

RESULTS

Clinicopathological characteristics of the patients including age, gender, body mass index, tumor size, Hashimoto thyroiditis were similar in the three groups. Patients' length of jay in group C was significantly longer than group A and group B (P < 0.01). The ratios of using suspension system in group C were significantly higher than group A and group B (P < 0.01). The scores of postoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) and ratios of mandibular swell in group C were significantly higher than group A and group B (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in the three groups regarding surgical outcomes, including postoperative vocal cord paralysis, hypocalcemia, serum white blood cells and C-reactive protein levels.

CONCLUSIONS

The Wang angle and mandibular jawline classifications were firstly introduced in TOETVA. All the patients of class A, B, and C mandibular jawline can achieve safe and effective surgical outcomes in the treatment of PTC with TOETVA. Patients of class C need more assistance of suspension system, would experience higher scores of VAS, and higher ratios of mandibular swell compared with class A and B.

Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy by Vestibular Approach for Differentiated Thyroid Cancer Intraoperatively Invading Strap Muscle

BACKGROUND

Transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA) has become increasingly popular in the surgical treatment of thyroid cancer. However, its application in T3b disease has not been well-defined.

METHODS

We conducted a quasi-experimental study on patients with an intraoperative diagnosis of T3bN0M0 differentiated thyroid carcinoma from January 2019 to January 2021 in our institution. Surgical and early oncological outcomes were assessed.

RESULTS

Among 326 patients who underwent TOETVA for thyroid cancer, 12 cases had T3bN0M0 disease intraoperatively. The mean operation time was 136.67±7.32 minutes, with 7.17±0.83 mL of blood loss. No patients reported symptoms of postoperatively transient hypoparathyroidism, mental nerve, or recurrent laryngeal nerve injury. After radioactive iodine therapy, all patients had undetectable thyroglobulin, negative antithyroglobulin, and normal neck ultrasound.

CONCLUSIONS

TOETVA seems to be a surgically and oncological safe method for differentiated thyroid cancer patients with small tumors invading strap muscle intraoperatively. The patients can be well-managed with endoscopic total thyroidectomy and postoperative radioactive iodine therapy. Further studies with a larger sample size and longer follow-up are needed to provide more solid evidence.

Improving the prediction of persistent and recurrent differentiated thyroid cancer using the American Thyroid Association 2015 risk stratification system

PURPOSE

The 2015 American Thyroid Association risk stratification system (ATA RSS) is used in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) to assess their risk of persistent/recurrent disease. Our aims were to validate the 2015 ATA RSS in a registry of DTC patients and to examine whether the addition of factors not included in it, such as pre-radioactive iodine therapy stimulated thyroglobulin (pre-RAI sTg), gender, and age could increase its predictive ability.

METHODS

We studied 403 patients with DTC, treated at a tertiary center from 1990 to 2018 and subjected to total thyroidectomy. All patients had received RAI therapy, except those with low-risk papillary microcarcinoma.

RESULTS

Of our patients, 81.9% were women and 91.1% had papillary thyroid carcinoma. After a median follow-up of 5.0 years, 53 cases of persistent and 21 cases of recurrent disease were recorded. The proportion of variance explained (PVE) regarding the outcome (presence or absence of recurrent/persistent disease) using the 2015 ATA RSS alone was 18.3% (persistence) and 16.9% (recurrence), increasing to 74.4% and 52.0%, respectively, when pre-RAI sTg was added to the logistic regression model. Gender and age were not associated with the disease outcome. In ROC analysis, pre-RAI sTg had a high predictive value for persistent (AUC 0.983, 95% CI 0.962-1.000) and recurrent disease (AUC 0.856, 95% CI 0.715-0.997). The optimal cut-offs and sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive value for pre-RAI sTg were the following: for persistence 12.75 ng/ml, 100%, 90.5%, 64%, and 100%, and for recurrence 8.05 ng/ml, 77.8%, 85.5%, 36.8%, and 97%.

CONCLUSIONS

The 2015 ATA RSS displayed moderate performance in predicting recurrent/persistent disease in patients with DTC, which improved with the inclusion of pre-RAI sTg values; pre-RAI sTg was an independent predictor of the disease outcome, with high negative prognostic value.

Changing paradigms in endoscopic thyroid surgery: A comparison between scarless-in-the-neck axillo-breast approach and totally scarless transoral approach

Background:

To avoid cervical scar in thyroid surgery, various approaches have been proposed. The commonly used approach is combined axillo-breast approach (ABA). However, trans-orovestibular approach (TOVA) is getting popular. The aim of this study is to compare surgical outcomes of patients who underwent endoscopic hemithyroidectomy (EHT) by either ABA or TOVA.

Patients and Methods:

This was a retrospective analysis of clinical data of patients who underwent EHT from January 2013 to December 2018. Patients were divided into two groups: Group A – through ABA and Group B – through TOVA.

Results:

A total of eighty patients underwent EHT in Group A and 25 in Group B. In both groups, most patients were female (male: female = 1:4.7 in Group A and 1:7.33 in Group B, P = 0.515). In both groups, there was no difference in age (the mean age was 33.44 ± 10.44 years in Group A and 33.04 ± 14.01 years in Group B, P = 0.391) and in size of the nodule (Group A – 3.91 ± 1.17 cm and Group B – 3.6 ± 1.39 cm, P = 0.228). The operating time was significantly less in Group B (Group A – 152.25 ± 30.19 mins and Group B – 126.80 ± 22.94 mins, P ≤ 0.01). The post-operative hospital stay was significantly less in Group B (mean 3.17 ± 0.97 days in Group A and 2.24 ± 0.60 days in Group B, P ≤ 0.01).

Conclusion:

TOVA is associated with shorter operating time and hospital stay with comparable outcomes. Cosmetic outcome is excellent in TOVA, however requires further subjective evaluation.

Single Surgeon Experience with 500 Cases of the Robotic Bilateral Axillary Breast Approach (BABA) for Thyroid Surgery Using the Da-Vinci Xi System

Objectives: Robotic bilateral axillary breast approach (BABA) thyroid surgery began in 2008 and is now one of the most widely used remote-access thyroid surgeries worldwide. This study aimed to analyze the results of 500 robotic BABA thyroid surgeries performed in a single institution in Korea compared with open thyroid surgery. Methods: From December 2018 to March 2020, 502 robotic BABA thyroidectomies (RTs) and 531 conventional open thyroidectomies (OTs) were performed in our institution by a single endocrine surgeon. We retrospectively reviewed patient medical records and performed a comparative analysis of OT and RT. Results: The RT group was younger (43.41 ± 11.41 versus 54.28 ± 13.41 years, p < 0.001) and had a higher proportion of females (84.3% versus 69.3%, p < 0.001), a lower BMI (24.66 ± 3.97 versus 25.83 ± 4.07 kg/m²), a higher proportion of lobectomies (52.6% versus 45.2%) and a lower proportion of lateral neck dissections (3.4% versus 10.0%, p < 0.001). The RT group had a longer operation time (145.33 ± 40.80 versus 93.39 ± 43.55 min, p < 0.001) and higher surgical costs. Although the OT group had a larger tumor size and a higher proportion of extrathyroidal extension, the numbers of retrieved lymph nodes were not significantly different between the two groups. Additionally, there was no difference in the stimulated thyroglobulin level before radioactive iodine therapy (7.01 ± 35.73 versus 8.39 ± 58.77, p = 0.782). The rates of transient vocal cord palsy and transient hypoparathyroidism were significantly lower in the RT group, and those of scar-related complications were higher in the OT group. Conclusions: Robotic BABA thyroid surgery has advantages not only in better cosmetic outcomes but also in lower rates of vocal cord palsy and hypoparathyroidism, with comparable lymph node retrieval and serum thyroglobulin levels.

Transoral endoscopic vestibular approach for thyroidectomy and parathyroidectomy - From promise to practice

OBJECTIVES

To describe the evolution and recent series on transoral endoscopic vestibular approach thyroidectomy and parathyroidectomy (TOET/PVA).

DATA SOURCES

PubMed, Google Scholar.

REVIEW METHODS

Review of the available English literature.

RESULTS

TOET/PVA may offer several advantages over other remote access thyroidectomy approaches and has been adopted by many centers worldwide with excellent success rates. Indications include benign disease and early thyroid cancer patients. Complication rate is comparable to the trans-cervical approach. The suggested framework has been validated in recent studies and its feasibility confirmed.

CONCLUSION

TOET/PVA has now been used to treat thousands of patients worldwide due to low cost, short learning curve and excellent cosmetic outcomes. Further studies will be necessary to demonstrate oncologic non-inferiority and also the true value that is added by the approach.

Transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach: Experience from a multicenter national group with 412 patients

BACKGROUND

Well-established conventional thyroidectomy has satisfactory outcomes; however, robotic and endoscopic thyroid surgery can avoid visible anterior neck scars. Transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA) is the most recent of these techniques.

METHODS

This was a retrospective review of 412 patients who underwent TOETVA from 2017 to 2020 in 13 Brazilian centers.

RESULTS

The study included 359 (87.1%) females and 53 (12.9%) males, with a mean age of 40 years. There were 231 (56.1%) total thyroidectomies. The conversion rate was 0.7%. The transient vocal cord palsy rate was 7.6% (30 patients). Temporary and persistent hypocalcemia rates were 4.0% and 0.8%, respectively. There were two cases of infection (0.5%).

DISCUSSION

This is a large multi-institute TOETVA study, with one of the largest cohorts published to date that; despite its retrospective nature and selection bias, reached outcomes comparable to previously reported series, this study reinforced safeness, feasibility, and nationwide reproducibility for this technique.

Comparison of the transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach and open thyroidectomy: A propensity score-matched analysis of surgical outcomes and safety in the treatment of papillary thyroid carcinoma

BACKGROUND

The transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach has been demonstrated to have similar surgical outcomes as open thyroidectomy for selected papillary thyroid carcinomas. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the surgical outcomes and safety of the transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach with those of open thyroidectomy in the treatment of papillary thyroid carcinoma with a diameter between >1 cm and ≤3.5cm.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed all patients who had papillary thyroid carcinoma that was between >1 cm and ≤3.5 cm in diameter and who had undergone the transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (n = 96) or an open thyroidectomy (n = 425) from January 2017 to June 2020. We then performed 1:1 propensity score matching, yielding 78 matched pairs. Afterward, surgical outcomes and follow-up data were compared between the 2 matched groups.

RESULTS

Compared with the matched open thyroidectomy group, the papillary thyroid carcinoma group had a significantly longer operative time (P < .001), more blood loss (P < .05), higher postoperative white blood cell count (P < .05), higher C-reactive protein (P < .001), more total drainage volume (P < .001), increased surgical cost (P < .05), better cosmetic satisfaction (P <.001), lower scar self-consciousness (P < .001), and better quality of life (P < .001). We observed no significant differences in the incidence of other outcomes, including the number of retrieved lymph nodes and metastatic central lymph nodes, the rate of intraoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve signal weakened and parathyroid autotransplantation, visual analog scale scores for pain, drainage duration, postoperative hospital stay, rate of complications, and oncologic completeness. We observed no conversion to open thyroidectomy and no intraoperative capsular disruption in the transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach group. There was 1 case of persistent nodal disease in the transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach group. No recurrence was observed in the 2 groups during the follow-up period.

CONCLUSION

The transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach is feasible in selected patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma, not only because it is cosmetically advantageous but also because it is surgical and oncologically safe and may be an optional surgical method for treating papillary thyroid carcinomas having a diameter between >1 cm and ≤3.5 cm.

Public perceptions of transoral endocrine surgery and their influence on choice of operative approach

BACKGROUND

Transoral Endocrine Surgery (TES) represents an alternative to the open approach with no visible scar. Studies have shown TES has a safety profile similar to the open approach, but adoption has been limited. Public perception and preference for TES are factors associated with adoption that have not been explored. Here we aim to understand the perception of TES by the public and factors which influence decision making.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A 38-question survey was designed to assess factors which influence willingness to pursue TES. The survey was distributed utilizing Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk), a crowdsourcing marketplace in which individuals perform tasks virtually based on interest. Descriptive analyses, Pearson chi-squared tests, Student's t-tests, and multivariate logistic regression were performed to evaluate theoretical decision to pursue TES.

RESULTS

Respondents (n = 795) were 47% female, 78% white, 70% held a college degree or higher, and had a mean age of 37. The majority (69%) preferred a mouth incision over a neck incision. Respondents were willing to pursue TES for a theoretical cancer despite increased cost (52%) and longer operative time (70%). Respondents top two most important surgical factors were safety and experience.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest the general public is willing to pursue TES and factors thought to be barriers to choosing TES may not deter the public. An informed discussion with appropriately-selected patients should be had between the patient and surgeon regarding specific surgical and postoperative differences including risks, safety, and experience.

Trans-oral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA) for the pediatric population: a multicenter, large case series

INTRODUCTION

A cervical scar has been shown to have an impact on the quality of life of children undergoing thyroid surgery. Transoral endoscopic vestibular thyroidectomy via the vestibular approach (TOETVA) offers the absence of a cutaneous incision, and has not been described to date in the pediatric population.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the first series of TOETVA in a pediatric population.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A retrospective, multicenter study, including all patients > 18 years old who underwent TOETVA. Data was prospectively collected and included demographics, preoperative ultrasound, cytology and indications for surgery. Intraoperative parameters included length of surgery and complications, with final pathology and postoperative course also reviewed. TOETVA surgical success was defined as completion of surgery via this approach.

RESULTS

Forty-eight children were included. Of these, 43 (89.5%) were girls. The median age was 16 years (range 10-17). The most common indication for surgery was a benign thyroid nodule (n = 26, 54.1%). Eleven patients (22.9%) had papillary thyroid carcinoma on final pathology, of which 90.9% (10/11) were diagnosed pre-operatively based on FNA cytology. Hemithyroidectomy was performed in 36 patients (75%). All surgeries were completed endoscopically. The mean malignant tumor size was 1.4 ± 0.4 cm and all tumors were completely excised with clean margins. No permanent complications were documented. A single patient (2.1%) had transient RLN injury (1.6%, 1/60 nerves at risk). Transient hypocalcemia was documented in 4 of the 12 patients undergoing total thyroidectomy (33.3%). Transient mental nerve injury/chin hypoesthesia was documented in 2 patients (4.2%).

CONCLUSIONS

TOETVA appears to be a feasible and safe approach for thyroidectomy in the pediatric population in carefully selected cases, and may be discussed with patients and parents as an alternative for the trans-cervical approach.

Transoral versus gasless transaxillary endoscopic thyroidectomy: a comparative study

This study aimed to compare the surgical safety and outcomes of the transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA) and gasless endoscopic thyroidectomy transaxillary approach (GETTA). This retrospective study assessed 150 patients managed with the TOETVA at the Yantai Yuhuangding hospital and 150 patients managed via the GETTA at the Zhenjiang Provincial People's Hospital. The procedures were compared in terms of workspace creation time, operating time, complications, post-operative complaints, cosmetic satisfaction, and the efficacy of central neck lymph-node dissection. There was no significant between-group difference in terms of post-operative complications. The average workspace creation and operating times were significantly shorter for GETTA than for TOETVA (P values for both < 0.001). The average number of lymph nodes dissected from the central compartment of the neck was higher in the TOETVA group than in the GETTA group (7.2 ± 4.6 vs. 3.9 ± 3.0, P < 0.001). The mean swallowing impairment index-6 scores at 1 month were significantly lower in the GETTA group than in the TOETVA group (1.5 ± 1.2 vs 2.6 ± 1.4, P < 0.001). Over 97% of all patients (both groups) were either satisfied or very satisfied with the cervical cosmetic outcomes at 3 months post-surgery (P = 0.099). TOETVA and GETTA are both safe procedures with good cervical cosmetic outcomes for well-selected patients. Although TOETVA is more efficacious in terms of central lymph nodes dissection, GETTA has a greater time-cost advantage.

Thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer via transareola single-site endoscopic approach: results of a case-match study with large-scale population

BACKGROUND

Due to technical challenges, single-site endoscopic thyroidectomy (SSET) is seldom reported and has been attempted in only limited cases. This large-scale study aimed to compare the clinical outcomes of standardized transareola SSET (TASSET) with those of conventional open thyroidectomy (COT) for thyroid cancer.

METHODS

The data were prospectively collected, and case-match study was performed at a ratio of 1:1 according to age, sex, body mass index, lesion size, number of lesion foci, lesion side, recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) exploration and pathology. Two hundred eligible patients underwent TASSET, and the same number of patients was selected for propensity score matching from 2256 patients who underwent COT. Perioperative data, including surgical profile, oncological and traumatic burdens, and cosmetic satisfaction, were analyzed.

RESULTS

No significant differences were observed in blood loss or drainage between TASSET and COT groups. There were no differences in operation time between TASSET and COT (106.39 ± 28.44 vs 102.55 ± 23.10 min, p = 0.154). A total of 3.63 ± 1.82 lymph nodes (LNs) were retrieved from CND with 0.96 ± 1.42 positive in TASSET. In COT, the total and positive LN yields were 3.77 ± 1.91 and 0.99 ± 1.40 (p = 0.445, p = 0.802). Cancer recurrence was not observed in either group. There were no differences in the occurrence of permanent and transient hoarseness or RLN injuries. Postoperative flap seroma or hematoma occurred in 12 TASSET patients and 58 COT patients (p < 0.001). The pain score, CRP level and ESR in TASSET group were lower than those in COT group. TASSET yielded significantly better incision recovery and cosmetic scores than did COT at both the proliferation and stabilization stages.

CONCLUSIONS

TASSET is technically feasible and yields enhanced recovery with minimally invasive and cosmetic advantages without compromising the level of safety or cancer eradication.

Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy Vestibular Approach (TOETVA): Surgical Outcomes and Learning Curve

The transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA) has excellent cosmetic effects and its popularity is increasing worldwide. We present our experience with TOETVA and its short-term outcomes. This study included 110 consecutive patients who underwent TOETVA at a single institution between July 2016 and June 2020. We analyzed clinicopathologic data, short-term postoperative outcomes, and learning curve using cumulative summation (CUSUM) analysis. Of the 110 patients who underwent TOETVA, 101 had malignant disease and 100 (90.9%) underwent lobectomy. The mean age was 39.7 ± 9.7 years, and the mean tumor size was 1.0 ± 0.7 cm (range, 0.3–3.6 cm). Operation time was 168.0 ± 63.4 min for total thyroidectomy, 111.0 ± 27.7 min for lobectomy, and 73.7 ± 18.1 min for isthmusectomy. Five patients (4.5%) experienced transient vocal cord palsy (VCP) and one (0.9%) had permanent VCP. The swallowing impairment index-6 score was 2.18 ± 3.21 at postoperative three months, and 0.97 ± 1.72 at postoperative six months. The learning curve for lobectomy was 58 cases in CUSUM analysis. TOETVA is a safe and feasible approach with an acceptable operation time and a low complication rate. This approach is a surgical option for patients who desire excellent cosmesis.

Safety and surgical outcomes of transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach for papillary thyroid cancer: A two-centre study

OBJECTIVE

The transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA) has been increasingly used to treat patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) with improved cosmetic outcomes. This study aimed to explore the safety and efficacy of TOETVA in patients with PTC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective study included TOETVA patients from Yantai Yuhuangding and Xiamen Zhongshan Hospitals. Among the 297 patients studied, 84 had benign nodules (28.3%), 208 had PTC (70.0%), and five had follicular thyroid cancer (1.7%).

RESULTS

The incidence of transient and permanent recurrent laryngeal nerve injury was 1.3%, while that of transient hypoparathyroidism was 1.0%. Mental nerve paraesthesia was observed in 241 cases (81.1%), while permanent mental nerve paraesthesia was noted in seven cases (2.4%). Abnormal motor function of the lower lip and chin was observed in 12 cases (4.0%). Ten of the 208 patients with PTC (4.8%) underwent total thyroidectomy (TT) and bilateral central neck dissection (CND). A mean 6.6 ± 4.1 and 10.9 ± 4.0 lymph nodes were removed in the unilateral and bilateral surgeries, respectively, with a metastasis rate of 49.0%; a mean 2.7 ± 2.3 and 3.2 ± 2.6 lymph nodes were metastatic, respectively. The parathyroid gland was inadvertently removed in 6.6% and auto-transplanted in 10.6% of patients with unilateral PTC. The non-stimulated thyroglobulin level in the TT and bilateral CND patients was below 1 ng/mL at the 6-month follow-up.

CONCLUSION

TOETVA is safe in well-selected patients with unilateral PTC. However, its safety remains unclear in patients treated with TT and bilateral CND.

Outcomes of Minimally Invasive Thyroid Surgery - A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

PURPOSE

Conventional thyroidectomy has been standard of care for surgical thyroid nodules. For cosmetic purposes different minimally invasive and remote-access surgical approaches have been developed. At present, the most used robotic and endoscopic thyroidectomy approaches are minimally invasive video assisted thyroidectomy (MIVAT), bilateral axillo-breast approach endoscopic thyroidectomy (BABA-ET), bilateral axillo-breast approach robotic thyroidectomy (BABA-RT), transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy via vestibular approach (TOETVA), retro-auricular endoscopic thyroidectomy (RA-ET), retro-auricular robotic thyroidectomy (RA-RT), gasless transaxillary endoscopic thyroidectomy (GTET) and robot assisted transaxillary surgery (RATS). The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate whether minimally invasive techniques are not inferior to conventional thyroidectomy.

METHODS

A systematic search was conducted in Medline, Embase and Web of Science to identify original articles investigating operating time, length of hospital stay and complication rates regarding recurrent laryngeal nerve injury and hypocalcemia, of the different minimally invasive techniques.

RESULTS

Out of 569 identified manuscripts, 98 studies met the inclusion criteria. Most studies were retrospective in nature. The results of the systematic review varied. Thirty-one articles were included in the meta-analysis. Compared to the standard of care, the meta-analysis showed no significant difference in length of hospital stay, except a longer stay after BABA-ET. No significant difference in incidence of recurrent laryngeal nerve injury and hypocalcemia was seen. As expected, operating time was significantly longer for most minimally invasive techniques.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis comparing the eight most commonly used minimally invasive thyroid surgeries individually with standard of care. It can be concluded that minimally invasive techniques do not lead to more complications or longer hospital stay and are, therefore, not inferior to conventional thyroidectomy.

Complications of Transoral Thyroidectomy: Overview and Update

Transoral thyroidectomy via the vestibular approach has become popular worldwide, with advantages including less surgical morbidity, excellent postoperative cosmesis, and superior functional voice outcomes. Several studies have reported that the surgical outcomes of the transoral approach were comparable to those of the conventional transcervical approach in selected patients. However, unusual complications, such as CO2 embolism, mental nerve injury, surgical space infection, skin perforation, burns, and trauma have been noted in transoral thyroidectomy. This paper aims to review and provide updated information on these complications and their management. Routine intraoperative neural monitoring is required to avoid laryngeal nerve palsy in the transoral approach. To prevent CO2 embolism, surgeons need to be careful not to injure the anterior jugular vein, and the CO2 insufflation pressure should be set as low as 4-6 mmHg. To avoid mental nerve injury, vestibular incisions should be placed in the safety zone, and dissection of the vestibular area and chin should be minimized. In conclusion, recognizing the possibility of complications and understanding their prevention and management are important for patient safety and the success of the transoral approach.

Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy Vestibular Approach (TOETVA) in Thyroiditis

BACKGROUND

Parenchymal fibrosis, which develops in the case of thyroiditis, makes thyroidectomy difficult and increases complication rates. Similar concerns exist within minimally invasive thyroid surgery. This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of the transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA) procedure in patients with thyroiditis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The data of 56 patients who underwent TOETVA between February 2018 and March 2020 were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were classified as those who had lymphocytic or Hashimoto thyroiditis (group T) and those who did not (group NT) in the postoperative pathology results. Results were evaluated in terms of intraoperative, postoperative findings, and complications.

RESULTS

All patients were female individuals with a median age of 43 (21-76). There were 21 (37%) patients in group T and 35 (63%) patients in group NT. Mean operation times were 174.2±37.4 and 201.4±45.6 minutes in groups T and NT (P=0.025), respectively, and were statistically shorter in group T. Blood loss was 37.9±44.5 and 34.6±46.8 mL (P=0.811) in groups T and NT, respectively. Transient recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy occurred in 1 patient (5%) in group T, 1 (3%) in group NT (P=0.712), and transient hypoparathyroidism occurred in 3 patients (14%) in group T and in 7 (20%) in group NT. There was no difference in terms of intraoperative and postoperative complications.

CONCLUSION

Although thyroiditis is a condition that complicates thyroidectomy, TOETVA can be applied with similar complication rates in patients with thyroiditis.

Initial Experience of Endoscopic Thyroidectomy Using Bilateral Axillary Breast and Transoral Vestibular Approach in Georgia

Purpose

Remote access thyroid surgery using a bilateral axillary breast approach (BABA) or a transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA) are increasingly performed worldwide. In the Caucasus, these methods were first applied in the Republic of Georgia. This study compares these two methods of endoscopic thyroid surgery performed on patients in a tertiary hospital in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Methods

Between December 2015 and January 2018, 41 patients underwent endoscopic thyroid surgery at the Aversi Clinic, including 32 who underwent BABA endoscopic thyroidectomy for benign nodules and nine who underwent TOETVA for thyroid cancers. Patients’ medical records were retrospectively reviewed.

Results

Tumors were significantly larger (2.38±0.38 cm versus 1.70±0.31 cm, p value <0.001), operation time was significantly longer (177.66±21.02 min versus 116.66±5.59 min, p value <0.001), and blood loss was significantly greater (149.07±28.10 ml versus 102.22±8.33 ml, p value <0.001) in patients who underwent BABA than TOETVA. There were no significant differences in postoperative complications between the two groups.

Conclusion

Remote access thyroid surgery, either BABA or TOETVA, was successfully started, without harmful complications, at the Aversi Clinic in Tbilisi, Georgia. BABA is suitable for large sized benign nodules and TOETVA for thyroid cancers with central lymph node dissection.

Application of transoral endoscopic parathyroidectomy via vestibular approach, endoscopic parathyroidectomy via areola approach for parathyroid adenoma

BACKGROUND

Transoral endoscopic parathyroidectomy via vestibular approach (TOEPVA) and total endoscopic parathyroidectomy via areola approach (EPA) are commonly used endoscopic parathyroidectomy approaches. This study compares effectiveness of these approaches with conventional open parathyroidectomy (COP) in relation to safety, associated trauma, and feasibility in the treatment of parathyroid adenoma (PTA).

METHODS

We examined patients who had undergone TOEPVA (n = 15), EPA (n = 14), and COP (n = 30). All patients had a pathological diagnosis of PTA. We analyzed operative time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative visual analog scale (VAS) score, postoperative drainage volume, hospital stay and complications such as changes in parathyroid hormone (PTH) and serum calcium before and after surgery.

RESULTS

Clinical variables across the three experimental groups were similar except for patient age. TOEPVA and EPA groups had a higher proportion of young patients than COP group. Operation time for endoscopic group was longer than that of open group, and the longest operation time was recorded in TOEPVA group (P = 0.000). Postoperative VAS score: postoperative pain in patients in the endoscopic group was less than that of patients in the open group on the first day (P = 0.001). Postoperative pain in patients of the endoscopic group was significant on the second day (P = 0.044). Pain experienced by patients in the three groups was the same on the third day after surgery (P = 0.312). Postoperative drainage volume in the endoscopic group was more than that in the open group (P = 0.000). There were no significant differences between intraoperative blood loss (P = 0.089), complications (P = 0.407) and hospital stay (P = 0.389) in TOEPVA, EPA and COP groups. PTH and serum calcium levels in the three experimental groups were considerably lower after surgery (P < 0.05). Tumor recurrence was not recorded in the three groups during a follow-up period of between 3 and 36 months.

CONCLUSIONS

TOEPVA and EPA are safe treatment options for PTA. The therapeutic effects of TOEPVA and EPA were similar to those of COP in the treatment of PTA.

Neural Monitoring of the External Branch of the Superior Laryngeal Nerve During Transoral Thyroidectomy

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS

There is no study regarding intraoperative neural monitoring (IONM) of the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve (EBSLN) during transoral thyroidectomy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and success rate of electrical identification of the EBSLN during transoral robotic or endoscopic thyroidectomy.

STUDY DESIGN

Case series study.

METHODS

We studied a cohort of 76 patients (87 nerves at risk, (NARs)) who underwent transoral robotic or endoscopic thyroidectomy and simultaneous intermittent IONM between July 2017 and May 2019. We performed the standard IONM procedure plus routine neural monitoring of the EBSLN. IONM and surgical outcome data were prospectively collected.

RESULTS

Sixty-one patients underwent the robotic procedure, and 15 patients underwent the endoscopic procedure. Thirty-seven external branches of the superior laryngeal nerves at risk (42.5%) were electrically identified using electromyography signals (31 NARs, 35.6%) or cricothyroid muscle twitches (6 NARs, 6.9%). The mean pre-(S1) and post-dissection (S2) amplitudes of the EBSLN were 372 ± 147 and 351 ± 159 μV, respectively. The identification rates were not different between the robotic and endoscopic procedures. In comparing the early 20 NARs (18 patients) and the later 67 NARs (58 patients), the identification rate was higher in the later cases, although the difference was not statistically significant (25.0% vs. 47.8%, P = .079).

CONCLUSION

IONM of the EBSLN is feasible and useful in identifying and preserving the nerve during transoral thyroidectomy, although the identification rate of the nerve is relatively low.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

4 Laryngoscope, 131:E671-E676, 2021.

Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy by Vestibular Approach with Central Lymph Node Dissection for Thyroid Microcarcinoma

Background: The transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy by vestibular approach (TOETVA) has been developed for thyroid microcarcinoma (TMC) treatment worldwide, with low rate of complications and excellent oncological results. However, this approach has still not been routinely performed. Thus, in this study, we aim to demonstrate the feasibility and safety of this technique in the clinical practice. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, 29 patients diagnosed TMC and clinically node negative underwent thyroidectomy and prophylactic central lymph node dissection by TOETVA. The clinicopathologic characteristics, surgical outcomes, and cosmetic results were evaluated. Results: The mean age was 34.7 ± 8.5 years. Three patients had underlying Grave's disease. Thyroid lobectomy with isthmusectomy was performed in the majority of cases (72.4%). All patients underwent prophylactic central node dissection. The mean number of retrieved central node was 7.8 ± 3.7 (3-19). Seven patients (24.1%) had lymph node metastasis in postoperative pathology. Among them, the mean number of metastatic lymph nodes was 2.1 ± 1.7 (1-5). The mean operative time was 121.2 ± 22.6 minutes. Four patients experienced transient hoarse and 1 patient had hematoma. Visual analog scale score on first postoperative day was 2.8 ± 1.4 (0-5). Most of patients were satisfied with cosmetic outcome. Conclusions: The TOETVA is new technique for TMC in Vietnam. The initial results of oncology, postoperative complications, and cosmetic supported the application of TOETVA in TMC.

Minimally Invasive Approaches for Thyroid Surgery-Pitfalls and Promises

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To provide an overview of the feasibility and safety of current minimally invasive remote-access approaches for thyroid surgery, in view of the amounting new challenges and paradigm shifts in the management of thyroid pathologies.

RECENT FINDINGS

Over the past two decades, several remote-access approaches for thyroid surgery have been developed to improve cosmesis; however, none has been widely adopted extensively in the Western world. The recently emerged transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy via vestibular approach (TOETVA) is the only true minimally invasive approach, completely avoiding skin incisions. It has a relatively short learning curve, midline surgical view, accessible surgical equipment, and relatively broad inclusion criteria with promising surgical outcomes as reported to date. TOETVA has proven to be safe and feasible for carefully selected patients. Further experience and long-term follow-up are needed to define the added value of TOETVA except for improved cosmetic outcome.

Comparison between the 4K ultra-high definition (UHD) and high definition (HD) endoscopic systems for transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy

Background

The transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA) is the most recently introduced method of minimally invasive thyroid surgery. To our knowledge, no studies have compared TOETVA outcomes using different laparoscopic systems. This study compared outcomes of TOETVA using conventional high definition (HD) and ultra-high definition (UHD) equipment.

Methods

Medical data and surgery videos of 62 patients who randomized to undergo thyroid lobectomy by TOETVA using an HD or UHD system from August 2018 to April 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. Endoscopic procedures were divided into four phases: flap creation to isthmectomy (phase I); strap muscle division to upper pole ligation (phase II); trimming recurrent laryngeal nerve (phase III); and ligation of Berry's ligament to complete resection (phase IV).

Results

Of the 62 patients, 28 underwent TOETVA using an HD device and 34 using a UHD device. The clinical characteristics of the two groups were not different. Mean operating time for lobectomy was similar in the HD and UHD groups (44.19±9.94 versus 43.47±12.19 min, P=0.825). The times required for phases I (15.02±5.33 versus 13.67±5.44 min, P=0.397); II (12.89±2.84 versus 13.17±5.22 min, P=0.816); III (9.85±4.36 versus 9.98±4.55 min, P=0.918); and IV (6.43±3.69 versus 6.65±3.45 min, P=0.840) were also similar in the HD and UHD groups. The numbers of retrieved lymph nodes did not differ significantly in the HD and UHD groups (3.26±2.62 versus 3.45±2.81, P=0.807).

Conclusions

Applying a UHD system in TOETVA resulted in outcomes similar to those observed with a conventional HD system. Operation time tended to be lower, especially for flap dissection, and numbers of harvest lymph nodes tended to be higher in the UHD group. Large-scale studies are needed to assess the advantages of the UHD system.