Intraoperative assessment of parathyroid perfusion using indocyanine green angiography in robotic thyroidectomy

Current and Future of Robotic Surgery in Thyroid Cancer Treatment

Thyroid cancer is among the most common endocrine malignancies, necessitating effective surgical interventions. Traditional open cervicotomy has long been the standard approach for thyroidectomy. However, the advent of robotic surgery has introduced new possibilities for minimally invasive procedures with benefits in terms of cosmetic outcomes, enhanced precision, comparable complication rates, and reduced recovery time. This study mainly reviewed the most widely used and well-known robotic thyroidectomy approaches: the transaxillary approach, the bilateral axillo-breast approach, and the transoral approach. This review examines the current status and future potential of robotic surgery in thyroid cancer treatment, comparing its efficacy, safety, and outcomes with those of conventional open cervicotomy. Challenges such as a longer operative time and higher costs exist. Future directions include technological advancements, tele-surgery, single-port surgery, and the integration of artificial intelligence. Robotic surgery holds promise in optimizing patient outcomes in thyroid cancer treatment.

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.

Robot-Assisted Parathyroidectomy Using Indocyanine Green (ICG) Fluorescence in Primary Hyperparathyroidism

Background and Objectives: Surgical treatment for primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) has evolved from bilateral exploration through a long transcervical incision to focused parathyroidectomy with a minimal incision above the pathologic gland. Recently, endoscopic or robot-assisted parathyroid surgery without direct neck incision has been introduced. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence as a new method for the visual identification of abnormal hyperfunctioning parathyroid glands in robot-assisted parathyroidectomy using FireflyTM technology. We also aimed to conduct a comparative analysis between robot-assisted parathyroidectomy and conventional focused parathyroidectomy in order to identify clinical differences between the two surgical approaches. Materials and Methods: A total of 37 patients with PHPT underwent parathyroidectomy at a single university hospital between September 2018 and December 2022. Thirty-one patients underwent open focused parathyroidectomy (open group), and six patients underwent robot-assisted parathyroidectomy (robot group). Pre-operative localization via parathyroid SPECT-CT and an intraoperative parathyroid hormone (IOPTH) assay were used to successfully remove the pathologic parathyroid in both groups. ICG was administered only in the robot group. Results: Pathologic parathyroid showed a persistent fluorescence pattern under near-infrared vision. After the removal of the fluorescent parathyroid gland, IOPTH was normalized in all six patients in the robot group. However, the open group showed shorter hospital stays (1.8 ± 1.2 vs. 3.0 ± 0.0 days, p < 0.001) and shorter operation times (91.1 ± 69.1 vs. 152.5 ± 23.6 min, p = 0.001) than the robot group. After 6 months of surgery, PTH, calcium, and ionized calcium levels were all normalized without significant differences between the groups. Conclusions: Robot-assisted parathyroidectomy using ICG is helpful for the visual identification of the pathologic parathyroid gland. The advantage of robot parathyroidectomy is a better cosmetic outcome. However, it still does not show better clinical outcomes than conventional open focused parathyroidectomy.

Fluorescence imaging, an emerging tool for preserving the parathyroid glands during thyroidectomy

With vocal cord palsy, hypoparathyroidism is one of the two major complications after thyroid surgery. Traditional approaches to preserving the parathyroid glands during thyroid surgery include identifying the glands precisely and preserving their vasculature with the naked eye, which mainly depend on the experience and skill of the surgeon. Recently, a relatively new technique, fluorescence image-guided surgery, has been widely researched and is becoming increasingly popular. The authors present a video clip of transoral robotic total thyroidectomy, which shows the three typical statuses of the parathyroid glands after thyroid surgery (well-perfused, poorly or non-perfused, and congested) and explains how to deal with each status of the parathyroid glands.