Minimally invasive video-assisted approach for partial and total thyroidectomy - Initial experience

Background: We report our initial experience with partial and total thyroid ectomy using a video-assisted approach. The feasibility, safety, and potent ial benefits of this technique are examined. Methods: Between January and May 2000, 28 patients were select to undergo a thyroid lobectomy (n = 17) or total thyroidectomy (n = 11) by a video-assi sted cervical approach. Patient selection was based on clinical examination and preoperative ultrasonography. The surgical procedures were conducted u nder general anesthesia through a minimal substernal skin incision. Frozen sections were examined peroperatively in all cases. Results: The initial diagnosis was solitary nodule in 19 patients and multi nodular goiter in 8 patients. One patient was treated for hyperthyroidism. The mean cranio-caudal axis and transverse diameter of the resected specime n were 4.9 +/- 0.9 and 2.7 +/- 0.5 cm, respectively, and the mean total lob ar weight was 11.9 +/- 5.5 g. Conversion to conventional surgery was requir ed in three patients (10.7%), due to local bleeding in all cases. The mean operative times were 150 +/- 8.2 and 102.5 +/- 17 min for total and partial thyroidectomy, respectively. The laryngeal nei ve was identified in 94.8% of cases. The mean length of skin incision was 25.4 +/- 2 nun. There was on e case of postoperative hypocalcemia and one case of postoperative hoarsene ss. One patient had a transient vocal cord palsy. The postoperative hospita l stay was 1 day for 66.7% of patients. The pain intensity evaluation, perf ormed on postoperative day 1 using the visual analogue scale (VAS) method, was 1.9 +/- 1.4. Conclusion: Video-assisted thyroidectomy is feasible, safe, and effective i n selected cases. Benefits for the patients in terms of postoperative pain, hospital stay, and cosmesis still need to be assessed in a prospective tri al comparing standard open and video-assisted approaches.