2018 Volume 64 Issue Suppl.1 Pages S39-S44
The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of video-assisted thyroidectomy in a single institution. Between May 2009 and June 2018, a total of 325 patients with thyroid diseases underwent thyroid surgery by video-assisted neck surgery (VANS) in our hospital. Among these patients, 249 patients underwent VANS for the benign thyroid nodule, 23 patients for Graves' disease, and 53 patients for malignant disease (cT1N0M0). As a surgical technique, we modified VANS method mainly by using originally developed skin-flap retractor. The main incision was made on the diseased side of the chest wall below the clavicle, and then newly developed retractor was inserted under the subplatysmal layer for creating working space. An endoscope was inserted via the 5 mm ports on diseased sides of the neck. The operation was successfully completed endoscopically in all patients. The median value of the maximum diameter of benign thyroid nodules, operating time for hemithyroidectomy, and amount of bleeding was 32 mm, 121minutes, and 17 mℓ, respectively. As the complications of all 325 patients, 23 patients (7.1%) had the transient recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) paralysis and 2 patients (0.6%) had the permanent RLN paralysis. No patient needed tracheotomy and another neck scar. We could confirm that VANS method was safety reliable technique for benign nodule, Graves' disease and early stage malignant disease.
