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Comparison of Transoral Thyroidectomy Vestibular Approach and Unilateral Axillobreast Approach for Endoscopic Thyroidectomy: A Prospective Cohort Study

Authors:
  • Vietnam National Cancer Hospital
  • Hanoi Medical University Hospital, Vietnam, hanoi
  • Hanoi Medical University Hospital

Abstract and Figures

Background: Various approaches for endoscopic thyroidectomy have been developed recently that improve the cosmetic outcome, and some are even scar free. In this study, we compared the safety and surgical outcomes of transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA) and unilateral axillobreast approach (UABA) thyroid surgery performed by a single surgeon. Materials and Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study among 101 patients undergoing endoscopic thyroidectomy from 2018 to 2019 in our institution. The factors analyzed included patients' clinical characteristics, types and time of operation, blood loss, hospital stay, postoperative complications, and cosmetic satisfaction. Results: Among 101 patients, 51 underwent TOETVA and 50 had UABA surgery. UABA has shorter operative time for lobectomy (91.7 ± 16.5 minutes versus 50.4 ± 6.8 minutes, P < .001), whereas TOETVA is associated with less postoperative pain (visual analogue scale score day 1 of 4.6 ± 1.0 versus 5.8 ± 1.0, P < .001). There were no significant differences between TOETVA and UABA groups regarding rates of transient recurrent laryngeal nerve injury (9.8% versus 2.0%, P = .205) and hypothyroidism (11.5% versus 2.0%, P = .112), in which all patients fully recovered 6 months after surgery and most of them were satisfied with the cosmetic result. Conclusions: Both TOETVA and UABA have been shown to be effective and safe surgical options for endoscopic thyroid surgery, as well as gave excellent cosmetic result. Each approach has its own advantages and disadvantages, and choice of technique should be tailored for each individual, and patient preference should be integrated in the treatment plan.
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Full Report
Comparison of Transoral Thyroidectomy Vestibular
Approach and Unilateral Axillobreast Approach
for Endoscopic Thyroidectomy:
A Prospective Cohort Study
Hau XuanAU1 cNguyen, MD, PhD,
1,2
Long Thanh Nguyen, MD,
1
Hung Van Nguyen, MD, MSc,
2
Hien Xuan Nguyen, MD, MSc,
1
Huy Le Trinh, MD, PhD,
1,2
Tuan Xuan Nguyen, MD, MSc,
3
and Quang Van Le, MD, PhD
1,2
Abstract
Background: Various approaches for endoscopic thyroidectomy have been developed recently that improve the
cosmetic outcome, and some are even scar free. In this study, we compared the safety and surgical outcomes of
transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA) and unilateral axillobreast approach
(UABA) thyroid surgery performed by a single surgeon.
Materials and Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study among 101 patients undergoing endoscopic
thyroidectomy from 2018 to 2019 in our institution. The factors analyzed included patients’ clinical charac-
teristics, types and time of operation, blood loss, hospital stay, postoperative complications, and cosmetic
satisfaction.
Results: Among 101 patients, 51 underwent TOETVA and 50 had UABA surgery. UABA has shorter operative
time for lobectomy (91.7 16.5 minutes versus 50.4 6.8 minutes, P<.001), whereas TOETVA is associated
with less postoperative pain (
AU3 cVAS score day 1 of 4.6 1.0 versus 5.8 1.0, P<.001). There were no significant
differences between TOETVA and UABA groups regarding rates of transient recurrent laryngeal nerve injury
(9.8% versus 2.0%, P=.205) and hypothyroidism (11.5% versus 2.0%, P=.112), in which all patients fully
recovered 6 months after surgery and most of them were satisfied with the cosmetic result.
Conclusions: Both TOETVA and UABA have been shown to be effective and safe surgical options for
endoscopic thyroid surgery, as well as gave excellent cosmetic result. Each approach has its own advantages
and disadvantages, and choice of technique should be tailored for each individual, and patient preference should
be integrated in the treatment plan.
Keywords: endoscopic thyroidectomy, unilateral axillobreast approach, transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy
vestibular approach, thyroid nodule
Introduction
F
AU4 cor a long time, open thyroidectomy has been the stan-
dard surgical approach for thyroid diseases, but it still
leaves a visible scar in the neck that is of concern to many
patients. Recently, various endoscopic and robotic thyroid-
ectomy techniques have been developed to provide mini-
mally invasive surgery options and improve the cosmetic
outcome without altering the treatment efficacy.
1–3
Among
these, endoscopic thyroidectomy is more suitable for
resource-limited settings due to the high cost and facility
requirement of robotic surgery. Endoscopic surgery could
be performed through various remote-access approaches to
move the scars to other parts of the body such as the axilla,
breast, or postauricular area, and each approach has its own
advantages and disadvantages.
4–6
In Vietnam, the unilateral
1
D
AU2 cepartment of Oncology, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Viet Nam.
2
Department of Oncology and Palliative Care, Hanoi Medical University Hospital, Hanoi, Viet Nam.
3
Department of Oncology, Thanh Nhan Hospital, Hanoi, Viet Nam.
JOURNAL OF LAPAROENDOSCOPIC & ADVANCED SURGICAL TECHNIQUES
Volume 00, Number 00, 2020
ªMary Ann Liebert, Inc.
DOI: 10.1089/lap.2020.0272
1
LAP-2020-0272-ver9-Nguyen_1P
Type: research-article
LAP-2020-0272-ver9-Nguyen_1P.3d 05/16/20 2:39pm Page 1
axillobreast approach (UABA), in which trocars are inserted
through three small incisions in the axilla and breast areola,
has been implemented and has become increasingly popular.
AU5 cThis endoscopic approach provides a convenient operative
space and the small scars are easily hidden and hardly no-
ticeable, and a preliminary report on 50 cases showed
promising results in terms of safety and patient satisfaction.
7
However, it is difficult to perform in males and does not
facilitate total thyroidectomy.
8
Moreover, UABA and espe-
cially bilateral axillobreast approach (BABA) endoscopic
thyroidectomy that allows total thyroidectomy require a large
amount of flap dissection on the anterior chest and still leave
cutaneous scars.
8,9
Since 2008, natural orifice transluminal endoscopic sur-
gery (NOTES) has been applied for thyroidectomy through
oral cavity that completely avoids visible scarring.
10,11
The
transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach
(TOETVA) technique that utilizes three ports on the lower
lip has been developed and only requires a smaller area of
flap dissection compared with UABA as well as provides a
suitable operative view for total thyroidectomy.
12
This
method has been shown to be safe for selected patients in
initial reports.
3,13
However, to our best knowledge, there
have been no data comparing the efficacy and safety of
UABA and TOETVA approaches. In our institution, a single
surgeon has experience in both UABA and TOETVA tech-
niques, in which he has adopted UABA technique in 2015
and TOETVA technique in 2018. During the period from
2018 to 2019, he performed these two techniques in parallel.
Under this unique situation, this study has been conducted to
compare the outcomes of UABA and TOETVA surgeries
done by a single surgeon.
Materials and Methods
Patients
This is a prospective cohort study performed on 101 pa-
tients with thyroid diseases admitted to the Department of
Oncology and Palliative Care, Hanoi Medical University
Hospital. All cases had a preoperative diagnosis of benign
thyroid diseases, including benign thyroid nodule(s) and
Grave’s disease based on clinical examination, hormonal
level assessment, ultrasound, and puncture fine-needle aspi-
ration results.
Among 101 patients, 51 patients had TOETVA surgery
and 50 patients had UABA surgery. These two groups were
enrolled parallel in the period from 2018 to 2019, and the
surgery approach was selected based on surgeon’s choice.
This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of
Hanoi Medical University Hospital.
Surgical procedure for UABA surgery
The surgery was performed under general anesthesia with
endotracheal intubation. The patient was placed in a supine
position with the neck extended, and the arm on the side of
the lesion was stretched at a 90angle to the axis of the body.
The surgical techniques and instruments had been described
in detail in our previous article.
7
In summary, initially,
10-mm skin incision was made at the intersection of the an-
terior axillary line and the mammary borderline to allow the
introduction of a 10 mm trocar and a cannula to create an
operating tunnel. Two other 5-mm incisions were made
along the upper edge of the ipsilateral breast areola and in
the anterior axillary line. CO
2
was insufflated to achieve a
continuous pressure of about 12 mmHg. A 5 mm hook mono-
polar and 5 mm bowel forceps were used for flap dissection
until a sufficient operative space is obtained. The anterior
border of the ipsilateral sternocleidomastoid muscle and the
strap muscles were dissected. Then, the lower pole of the
thyroid gland was identified and ligated. Thereafter, the lobe
was dissected from the trachea and the superior thyroid
pedicle was coagulated. During lobectomy procedure, the
recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) and parathyroid gland were
identified and preserved ( bF1
Fig. 1).
Surgical procedure for TOETVA surgery
Similar to the UABA approach, the patient was placed in
a supine position with the neck slightly extended. All patients
were put under general anesthesia with nasotracheal intuba-
tion. The oral cavity was cleaned with diluted Povidone-
iodine solution.
First, a 10 mm incision was made in the center of the lower
oral vestibule and two lateral 5 mm incisions were made 1.5–
2 cm lateral to the first incision. We then dissected along the
subplatysmal plane down to the anterior neck area using
a medium-sized Kelly clamp and 50 mL of 1:200,000
adrenaline–saline solution for hydrodissection. Then, a blunt
tip tissue dissector was inserted through the 10 mm incision
and moved in a fan shape to widen the operation space. CO
2
was insufflated at 6–8 mmHg pressure with a flow rate of
3 L/min through the 10 mm middle trocar. Two 5 mm trocars
were then introduced through the lateral incisions and the
three trocars converged at the midline. A monopolar hook
was used to complete the dissection, and the strap muscles
were dissected through the middle line to deliver the thyroid
gland into the working space. A 3/0 Vicryl silk was used to
hand up the strap muscles laterally through a transcutaneous
insertion. bAU6
The pyramidal lobe was dissected first and dis-
section was continued inferiorly to divide the isthmus. The
superior thyroid vessels were then identified and cut by a
Harmonic scalpel. Lobectomy was completed from a ceph-
alad to caudal direction and the RLN and the parathyroid
glands were preserved (Fig. 1). In cases with total thyroid-
ectomy, the procedure is repeated on the contralateral side.
The specimen was then extracted in an endobag through
the central incision. Sometimes, for large tumors, the speci-
men had to be cut into smaller pieces. This was performed
entirely within the endobag to avoid tumor cell seeding.
Afterward, the strap muscles were closed using VLOC 3/0
sutures. The oral cavity incisions were closed with Rapid 4/0
sutures.
Statistical analysis
Data were analyzed using Stata version 12. Continuous
variables were presented as mean standard deviation and
range where appropriate, and categorical variables as the
number with percentage. The means were compared using
the Mann–Whitney U test or t-test and the proportions were
compared by Fisher’s exact or chi-square test when appro-
priate. All tests were two-tailed and differences were con-
sidered statistically significant at P-values £.05.
2 NGUYEN ET AL.
LAP-2020-0272-ver9-Nguyen_1P.3d 05/16/20 2:39pm Page 2
Results
Clinical characteristics of study population
A total of 101 patients were enrolled in this study, in which
51 patients received TOETVA and 50 patients received
UABA thyroid surgery (
T1 cTable 1). The mean age of TOETVA
group was significantly higher than that of UABA group
(45.1 11.8 versus 34.5 8.4, P<.001). Both groups mostly
comprised women (90.2% and 96.7% respectively, P=.436)
and had comparable mean tumor diameters (22.98 8.95 mm
versus 21.82 8.82 mm respectively, P=.521).
All patients had a preoperative diagnosis of benign thyroid
diseases. However, 2 (3.9%) patients in the TOETVA group
had a final pathological result of papillary thyroid cancer.
Table 1. Patients’ Characteristics
Variables TOETVA (n=51) UABA (n=50) P
Age, mean SD (range) 45.1 11.8 (17–69) 34.5 8.4 (17–56) <.001
a
Gender, n(%)
Male 5 (9.8) 2 (3.3) .436
b
Female 46 (90.2) 48 (96.7)
Pathological diagnosis, n(%)
Benign nodule(s) 48 (94.1) 50 (100) .368
b
Papillary thyroid carcinoma 2 (3.9) 0
Grave’s disease 1 (2.0) 0
Tumor size (mm), mean SD (range) 22.98 8.95 (11–45) 21.82 8.82 (16–52) .521
c
Extent of surgery, n(%)
Total thyroidectomy 40 (78.4) 0 .001
d
Lobectomy 11 (21.6) 50 (100)
a
t-test.
b
Fisher’s exact test.
c
Mann–Whitney Utest.
d
Chi-squared test.
SD, standard deviation; TOETVA, transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach; UABA, unilateral axillobreast approach.
FIG. 1. (A, B) The RLN (black arrows), upper and lower parathyroid glands (yellow and white arrows, respectively) are
preserved during UABA procedure. (C, D) The RLN (black arrows), upper and lower parathyroid glands (yellow and white
arrows, respectively) are preserved during TOETVA procedure. RLN, recurrent laryngeal nerve; TOETVA, transoral
endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach; UABA, unilateral axillobreast approach.
4C c
TOETVA VS. UABA FOR ENDOSCOPIC THYROIDECTOMY 3
LAP-2020-0272-ver9-Nguyen_1P.3d 05/16/20 2:39pm Page 3
A majority of patients in the TOETVA group (40 patients
(78.4%)) had total thyroidectomy, whereas all patients in
the UABA group had thyroid lobectomy. In total, 61 pa-
tients underwent lobectomy and 40 patients underwent total
thyroidectomy.
Surgical outcome and postoperative complications
Among patients who underwent lobectomy, the operative
time was significantly longer in the TOETVA than in the
UABA group (91.7 16.5 minutes versus 50.4 6.8 minutes,
P<.001), whereas blood loss volume was similar between
the two groups (*30 mL on average). In contrast, it took
114.4 23.2 minutes to complete a total thyroidectomy
through the transoral approach, with 58.3 9.9 mL of blood
loss. The length of hospital stay of the two groups was also
comparable (5.6 0.8 days in TOETVA versus 5.9 1.2 days
in UABA, P=.125). However, patients who had TOETVA
surgery have significantly less postoperative pain, especially
during the first 4 days (see details in
T2 cTables 2). Only 5 pa-
tients (9.8%) with TOETVA surgery and 1 patient (2%) with
UABA surgery had transient vocal cord palsy, whereas
no permanent RLN palsy was recorded in both groups.
Among 11 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy in
TOETVA, 6 (54.6%) had transient hypoparathyroidism but
fully recovered afterward. Three TOETVA patients and 1
UABA patient had postoperative mild hematoma and no
operative reintervention was required. None in both groups
had surgical site infection.
Among patients with TOETVA, 3 cases had postoperative
lower lip paresthesia that was indicative of mental nerve
injury and 3 other patients had paresthesia in the flap dis-
section area of the neck. Meanwhile, only 1 UABA patient
had paresthesia of the chest wall. Three patients in the UABA
group had swallowing limitation, whereas 1 patient in the
TOETVA group had chewing limitation. Nearly all patients
were satisfied with the cosmetic result of the operation, in
which the level of satisfaction was comparable between the
two groups (P=.617) ( bT3
Table 3). The postoperative images of
patients are presented in bF2
Figure 2.
Discussion
Our study included 101 cases of endoscopic thyroid sur-
gery performed by a single surgeon through two approaches,
TOETVA and UABA. The results showed that these two
techniques had comparable surgical outcomes including
blood loss, length of hospital stay, and were both safe treat-
ment options, as well as gave high cosmetic satisfaction.
Table 2. Surgical Outcomes of Patients Undergoing Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy
Vestibular Approach Versus Unilateral Axillobreast Approach
Variables TOETVA (n=51) UABA (n=50) P
Operative time (minute)
Total thyroidectomy 114.4 23.2 (90–160) N/A
Lobectomy 91.7 16.5 (50–150) 50.4 6.8 (25–60) <.001
a
Blood loss
Total thyroidectomy 58.3 9.9 N/A
Lobectomy 30.7 6.0 29.0 4.7 .233
a
Pain score (
AU7 cVAS)
Day 1 4.6 1.0 5.8 1.0 <.001
b
Day 4 1.6 1.0 2.6 1.6 <.001
a
Day 7 0.4 0.5 0.4 0.8 .089
a
Hospital stay (day) 5.6 0.8 5.9 1.2 .125
b
Number of cases with postoperative hoarseness, n(%)
Transient 5 (9.8) 1 (2.0) .205
c
Permanent 0 0 —
Number of cases with hypoparathyroidism, n(%)
Transient 6 (11.5) 1 (2.0) .112
c
Permanent 0 N/A —
Number of cases with hematoma, n(%) 3 (5.9) 1 (2.0) .617
c
Number of cases with seroma, n(%) 6 (11.8) 0 .027
c
Number of infections, n(%) 0 0 —
Number of cases with mental nerve injury, n(%) 3 (5.9) 0 .243
c
Number of cases with paresthesia, n(%) 6 (11.8) 1 (2.0) .112
c
Number of cases with movement limitation, n(%) 1 (2.0) 3 (6.0) .362
c
a
Mann–Whitney Utest.
b
t-test.
c
Fisher’s exact test.
N
AU8 c/A; TOETVA, transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach; UABA, unilateral axillobreast approach.
Table 3. Cosmetic Results 3Months
After Surgery
Cosmetic
results
TOETVA (n=51),
n(%)
UABA (n=50),
n(%) P
Satisfied 50 (98.0) 48 (96.0) .617
a
Average 1 (2.0) 2 (4.0)
Dissatisfied 0 0
a
Fisher’s exact test.
TOETVA, transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach;
UABA, unilateral axillobreast approach.
4 NGUYEN ET AL.
LAP-2020-0272-ver9-Nguyen_1P.3d 05/16/20 2:39pm Page 4
However, UABA had shorter operative time, whereas
TOETVA was associated with less postoperative pain. Each
technique had its own approach-related complications de-
pending on the regional anatomy of the surgery access sites.
Hu
¨scher et al. first used endoscopic thyroid surgery in
1997.
14
Since then, many endoscopic techniques for thyroid
surgery have been developed along with the advancement of
surgical devices, which provides minimally invasive or even
scar-free surgeries for patients having cosmetic concern.
Initially, cervical approach,
15,16
parasternal approach,
17
and
breast approach
18
were used. Ikeda et al.,
19
Shimazu et al.,
20
and Lee et al.
21
then improved the technique with the axillary
and axillobilateral breast approach to minimize the visible
scar by hiding it in the axilla that can be covered completely
by the patient’s arm. However, this approach still leaves
cutaneous scars and requires a large amount of flap dissec-
tion. Therefore, several surgeons have tried the transoral
approach, first in animal models,
10
cadavers,
22,23
and then in
humans.
24
Transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy can be per-
formed through the sublingual approach, periosteal or the
oral vestibular approach, in which sublingual and periosteal
approaches cause severe tissue damage as well as high com-
plications.
25,26
In 2016, Anuwong et al. have reported en-
couraging results of TOETVA with excellent cosmetic
outcomes and minimal complications.
3
There has been ac-
cumulating evidence that demonstrated promising safety
and efficacy of TOETVA since then.
13,27,28
Compared with
UABA, TOETVA is truly scar free and patients can return to
their normal life without any concerns about scars on the
body.
In this study, the clinical characteristics of the two groups
were similar except for the mean age. The patients who un-
derwent UABA were younger than those who underwent
TOETVA. This difference is most likely due to patient se-
lection. Patients with bilateral nodularity in this study were
generally older than those with single nodule or unilateral
nodularity. A large-scale prospective cohort analysis of 6391
patients presented for evaluation of thyroid nodule(s) dem-
onstrated a 1.6% annual increased risk for multinodularity
(odds ratio, 1.02; P<.001) with advancing age.
29
In those
patients with bilateral diseases, TOETVA was used rather
than UABA since it provided the operative view and working
space for total thyroidectomy.
Among patients receiving lobectomy, the TOETVA group
had significantly longer operative time than the UABA
group. Besides, it took *25 minutes more to perform total
thyroidectomy versus lobectomy by the TOETVA approach.
A majority proportion of operative time was used for the
trocar insertion and dissection steps before thyroid dissec-
tion, and afterward, specimen extraction. This might be at-
tributable to the learning curve of our surgeon, a phenomenon
that has been encountered in other studies.
8,13
He adopted the
UABA technique in 2015 and the TOETVA technique in
2018 and these 51 cases were his initial TOETVA cases.
Hence, he was more familiar with the endoscopic view as
well as the tactics of UABA at the beginning of this study.
Notably, some patients in our cohort had a pointed chin,
which made the dissection even more difficult.
In contrast, TOETVA is associated with significantly less
operative pain than UABA in the first 4 days after surgery.
This is consistent with the findings in a study of Yang et al.
comparing the surgical outcome of TOETVA and endoscopic
thyroidectomy through the areola approach (ETAA)
30
and a
study of Chai et al. with a comparative analysis between
transoral robotic thyroidectomy and BABA robotic thyroid-
ectomy.
8
In the UABA technique, the dissection range from
the axilla and breast incisions to the thyroid gland is broader
than in the TOETVA procedure, suggesting a decrease of
surgical trauma with the TOETVA procedure. In addition, the
oral vestibule incision seems to cause less pain compared
with skin incisions.
13
Follow-up data of Yang et al. also
showed that the skin paraesthesia rate was significantly lower
in the TOETVA group than in the ETAA group 6 months
postoperation.
30
In our study, TOETVA was shown to be as safe as UABA
since there were no significant differences in estimated
blood loss or postoperative complication rates between the
two groups. However, each approach has its own approach-
related complications. For example, UABA with axillary
access can cause brachial plexus injury, shoulder dislocation,
and chest skin sensory change for several months after sur-
gery.
31,32
In contrast, TOETVA can lead to minor specific
complications such as mental nerve injury or neck skin par-
aesthesia.
13
There were no postoperative infections recorded
in our study. Given the high rate of surgical-site infections in
Vietnam,
33
we routinely gave intravenous amoxicillin with
FIG. 2. Representative examples of postoperative outcome after TOETVA (A, B) and UABA (C). TOETVA, transoral
endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach; UABA, unilateral axillobreast approach.
4C c
TOETVA VS. UABA FOR ENDOSCOPIC THYROIDECTOMY 5
LAP-2020-0272-ver9-Nguyen_1P.3d 05/16/20 2:39pm Page 5
clavulanic antibiotic 30 minutes before skin incision and up
to 5 days after surgery. In the literature, there was only 1 case
who had an infection at the vestibular incision site 4 weeks
after surgery and required an intervention.
24
We encountered 5 cases (9.8%) with temporary RLN in-
jury in the TOETVA group and 1 case (2.0%) in the UABA
group. The complication rate in the TOETVA approach
was slightly higher than that of Anuwong et al.
3,13
and Hong
et al.
34
However, all cases fully recovered 6 months after
surgery. This may again be related to the learning curve of
the surgeon. The transient RLN injury rate might be reduced
by more meticulous dissection and by avoiding thermal in-
jury from harmonic scalpel.
13
After initial cases, we started
using a wet endoscopic gauze to reduce the heat from the
harmonic scalpel while dissecting the RLN, which improved
the rate of transient postoperative hoarseness. The rate of
hypoparathyroidism in our study was 11.5% in the TOETVA
group and 2.0% in the UABA group, which is comparable
with the results of Anuwong et al.
13
and Koh et al.
35
with the
corresponding approach. No patients were reported with
permanent hypoparathyroidism. Although the magnified
view through the endoscope may make identification of the
parathyroid glands easier, close attention must be paid to
protect the nutrient vessels when exposing the gland. None-
theless, no permanent severe complications were reported
and most patients were satisfied with the cosmetic outcome.
Our study has some limitations. First, our surgeon adopted
these two techniques at different times. Although we enrolled
patients to two groups in the same time period, the baseline
skills and experience in these two approaches did not match.
Second, patient allocation was not randomized and the
sample size was relatively small. Further study with a higher
number of patients and longer time of follow-up should be
done to thoroughly compare the safety and outcomes of these
two techniques.
Conclusions
Both TOETVA and UABA approaches have been shown
to be effective and safe surgical options for endoscopic thy-
roid surgery, as well as gave excellent cosmetic result. Each
approach has its own advantages and disadvantages, in which
UABA has shorter operative time whereas TOETVA is as-
sociated with less postoperative pain and is truly scar free.
Choice of the technique should be tailored for each individual
and patient preference should be integrated in the treatment
plan.
Disclosure Statement
No competing financial interests exist.
Funding Information
This research received no specific grant from any funding
agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
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Address correspondence to:
Long Thanh Nguyen, MD
Department of Oncology
Hanoi Medical University
No. 1 Ton That Tung Street, Dong Da
Hanoi 100000
Vietnam
E-mail: longnguyen.hmu@gmail.com
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... In recent years, with increasing health awareness, most cases of thyroid cancer are identified during health checkups, particularly through thyroid ultrasound, leading to early diagnosis and generally favorable prognoses. [8,9] The primary treatment for thyroid cancer is surgical intervention, with postoperative iodine-131 and levothyroxine as adjunct therapies. Surgical approaches include open resection and endoscopic surgery. ...
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The purpose of this study was to compare the intraoperative outcomes and postoperative complications of patients experiencing transoral thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOTVA) and conventional open thyroidectomy (COT). PUBMED, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials in the Cochrane Library, and Web of science expanded between January 2007 and November 2022 comparing TOTVA and COT was exhaustively searched. Fifteen non-randomized controlled studies involving 2955 patients were included. The results of meta-analyses indicated that TOTVA was associated with longer operative time (WMD, 66.86; 95%CI, 47.15–86.56; P < 0.00001), more blood loss (WMD, 2.83; 95%CI, 1.77–3.90; P < 0.00001), higher incidence of wound infection (OR, 5.62; 95%CI, 1.57–20.10, P = 0.008). There was no significant difference in terms of transient recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) palsy and other postoperative outcomes. In conclusion, TOTVA appears to be a feasible and safe approach for the treatment of patients with benign thyroid nodules and selected differential thyroid carcinomas just like the COT.
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Background Transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA) and total endoscopic thyroidectomy via areola approach (ETA) are commonly used endoscopic thyroidectomy approaches. This study compares the effectiveness of these approaches with conventional open thyroidectomy (COT) in terms of safety, associated trauma, and feasibility of central neck dissection in the treatment of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Methods This retrospective study included patients who underwent TOETVA (n = 100), ETA (n = 119), and COT (n = 289). All patients had a pathological diagnosis of PTC and underwent unilateral lobectomy and central neck dissection. We analyzed operative time, postoperative drainage volume, postoperative C-reactive protein (CRP), preoperative and postoperative white blood cell (WBC) count and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels, parathyroid damage, hoarseness, total number of central lymph nodes, and number of metastatic central lymph nodes. Results The clinical characteristics across the three groups were similar except for patient sex and age. There was a higher proportion of young women in the TOETVA and ETA groups than in the COT group. There were significant differences between the three groups regarding operative time (P = 0.000), postoperative drainage volume (P = 0.000), postoperative CRP (P = 0.000), ∆WBC (P = 0.000), and length of postoperative hospital stay (P = 0.021); in the TOETVA and ETA groups, operative time (P = 0.445), postoperative drainage volume (P = 0.677), and length of postoperative hospital stay (P = 0.145) were not significantly different. The percentage of cases with parathyroid gland damage (P = 0.459) and hoarseness (P > 0.05) was similar in all groups. All three procedures were efficient in performing a central lymph node dissection. Conclusions Although considered more traumatic, TOETVA and ETA are both safe treatment options for PTC. They can both achieve similar therapeutic effects of central neck dissection in the treatment of PTC when compared with open surgery.
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Introduction: The Transoral Neck Surgery (TONS) Study Group was established at the 1st International Thyroid NOTES Conference in February 2016 with the intention of standardizing and refining thyroid NOTES techniques, including both transoral endoscopic and robotic thyroidectomy approaches. Herein, the authors report the modification of indications, preparation, and step-by-step explanations for operative techniques, as well as results and postoperative care for transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA). Methods: Between February 2015 and December 2015, a total of 200 patients comprising 8 males (4%) and 192 females (96%) underwent TOETVA using 3 laparoscopic ports inserted at the oral vestibule. Of these patients, 111 presented with single thyroid nodules (55.5%), while 66 patients had multinodular goiters (33%), 12 had Graves' disease (6%) and 11 had papillary microcarcinoma (5.5%). The CO2 insufflation pressure was maintained at 6 mmHg. Each surgery was performed using laparoscopic instruments and ultrasonic devices. Results: TOETVA was performed on 200 consecutive patients. No conversion to conventional open surgery was necessary. Average tumor size was 4.1 ± 1.78 cm (1-10 cm). Median operative time was 97 ± 40.5 min (45-300 min). Median blood loss was 30 ± 46.25 mL (6-300 mL). Mean visual analog scale measurements were 2.41 ± 2.04 (2-7), 1.17 ± 1.4 (0-5), and 0.47 ± 0.83 (0-3) on the first, second, and third days, respectively. Temporary hoarseness and hypoparathyroidism occurred in 8 patients (4%) and 35 patients (17.5%), respectively. No permanent hoarseness or hypoparathyroidism occurred. Mental nerve injury occurred in 3 patients (1.5%). One patient (0.5%) developed a post-operative hematoma that required open surgery. No infection was identified. Conclusion: TOETVA was shown to be safe and feasible with a reasonable surgical duration and minimal pain scores. This approach shows promise for those patients who are motivated to avoid a neck scar.
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Background: Transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA) provides excellent cosmetic results from its potential for scar-free operation. The procedure has been applied successfully for Graves' disease by the authors of this work and compared with the standard open cervical approach to evaluate its safety and outcomes. Methods: From January 2014 to November 2016, a total of 97 patients with Graves' disease were reviewed retrospectively. Open thyroidectomy (OT) and TOETVA were performed in 49 patients and 46 patients, respectively. For TOETVA, a three-port technique through the oral vestibule was utilized. The thyroidectomy was done endoscopically using conventional laparoscopic instruments and an ultrasonic device. Patient demographics and surgical variables, including operative time, blood loss, and complications, were investigated and compared. Results: TOETVA was performed successfully in all 45 patients, although conversion to open surgery was deemed necessary in one patient. All patient characteristics for both groups were similar. Operative time was shorter for the OT group compared to the TOETVA group, which totaled 101.97±24.618 and 134.11±31.48 minutes, respectively (P<0.5). Blood loss was comparable for both groups. The visual analog scale (VAS) pain score for the TOETVA group was significantly lower than for the OT group on day 1 (2.08±1.53 vs. 4.57±1.35), day 2 (0.84±1.12 vs. 2.57±1.08) and day 3 (0.33±0.71 vs. 1.08±1.01) (P<0.05). Transient recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) palsy was found in four and two cases of TOETVA and OT group, respectively. Transient hypocalcemia was found in ten and seven cases of TOETVA and OT group, respectively. No other complications were observed. Conclusions: TOETVA is a feasible and safe treatment for Graves' disease in comparison to the standard open cervical approach. It is considered a viable alternative for patients who have been indicated for surgery with excellent cosmetic results.
Article
Full-text available
Background: Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery has been adopted for thyroid surgery because of its potential for scar-free operation. However, the previous technique still has some limitations. Thus, we present our initial experience in transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA). Methods: From April 2014 to January 2015, we used a three-port technique through the oral vestibule, one 10-mm port for laparoscope and two additional 5-mm ports for instruments. The CO2 insufflation pressure was set at 6 mm Hg. An anterior cervical subplatysmal space was created from the oral vestibule down to the sternal notch. The thyroidectomy was done endoscopically using conventional laparoscopic instruments and an ultrasonic device. Results: A series of 60 procedures were accomplished successfully. 42 patients had single-thyroid nodules, and a lobectomy was performed. 22 patients had multinodular goiters and two patients had Graves' disease, with total thyroidectomy or Hartley-Dunhill procedures performed. Two had papillary thyroid carcinoma, and total thyroidectomy with central node dissection was performed. The median operative time was 115.5 min (range 75-300 min). The median blood loss was 30 mL (range 8-130 mL). Two patients experienced a transient hoarseness, which was resolved within 2 months. One patient experienced a late postoperative hematoma, which was treated conservatively. No mental nerve injury or infections were found. The patients were discharged in an average of 3.6 days (range 2-7 days) postoperatively. Conclusion: TOETVA is safe and feasible, resulting in no visible scarring. This technique may provide a method for ideal cosmetic results.
Article
Full-text available
Natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES(®); American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy [Oak Brook, IL] and Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons [Los Angeles, CA]) is gaining interest because it allows operations without skin incisions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and cosmetic results of endoscopic thyroidectomy via the oral vestibular approach (ETOVA) compared with endoscopic thyroidectomy via the areola approach (ETAA) in patients with thyroid diseases. Eighty-two patients with thyroid diseases were randomized to receive either ETOVA (n=41) or ETAA (n=41). Perioperative and follow-up data were assessed. The surgery was completed in all cases, and all patients were followed up for at least 1 year. There were no differences between the two groups in operation time, blood loss, or postoperative hospital stay. Respective pain scores were 1.7 versus 2.1 and 0.6 versus 0.8 on Days 1 and 3, respectively, postoperatively. The white blood cell counts and C-reactive protein levels were not significantly different between the two groups. Complications were the same in both groups. Oral incision scars were invisible in the ETOVA group. Rates of skin traction sensation on the surgical field were lower in the ETOVA group than in the ETAA group at 3 and 6 months postoperatively (53.7% versus 80.5% and 24.4% versus 46.3%, respectively). The respective satisfaction score was 9.61 versus 9.22 (P=.021). No recurrent cases were observed in the study. Both the ETOVA and the ETAA procedures are feasible for thyroid diseases. The ETOVA eliminated skin incision scars and gained better cosmetic results in the short-term follow-ups, and the trauma was the same between the two approaches. However, more cases and longer-term follow-ups are needed for confirmation.
Article
Background Transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA) is a novel remote‐access endoscopic approach. In this study, we compared the surgical outcomes of TOETVA with those of conventional transcervical approach (TCA) in two tertiary hospitals. Methods A total of 82 patients were done by TOETVA and 233 patients received TCA between January 2018 and April 2019. Propensity score matching was used to reduce selection bias. Results Operation time of the TOETVA group was longer than that of the TCA group. The mean number or retrieved lymph nodes were significantly higher in the TOETVA group. No significant difference was observed in the overall perioperative complications. Conclusion TOETVA is technically acceptable when compared to TCA in terms of equal baseline characteristics of patients. Although future large‐scale multicenter studies with longer follow‐up periods are needed, we expect this novel technique can be performed not only for cosmetic purposes but also for patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma.
Article
Background: The surgical outcomes of a single surgeon's initial cases of transoral robotic thyroidectomy (TORT) were compared with the surgeon's initial cases of a bilateral axillo-breast approach (BABA) robotic thyroidectomy. Methods: The medical reports were retrospectively reviewed. The BABA robotic thyroidectomies were performed between 2008 and 2009, and TORTs were performed between 2012 and 2016. Results: Each group comprised 50 patients. Operative time for total thyroidectomy was shorter, the pain scores were lower, and hospital stays were shorter in the TORT group than in the BABA robotic thyroidectomy group. There were no significant differences between groups in either vocal cord palsy or hypoparathyroidism rates. There were 9 cases of mental nerve injury in the first 12 cases of TORT, but none subsequently. Conclusion: The TORT procedure could be performed safely and showed comparable outcomes with BABA robotic thyroidectomy in selected patients. Therefore, TORT may be an alternative approach for patients who prefer a scar-free thyroidectomy.
Article
Importance: Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery thyroidectomy is a novel approach to avoid surgical scars. Objective: To compare the safety and outcomes of the transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA) with those of open thyroidectomy (OT). Design, setting, and participants: This study retrospectively reviewed all TOETVA and OT operations performed from April 1, 2014, through August 31, 2016, at Police General Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand. All patients who underwent TOETVA and patients who underwent OT were included. Exclusion criteria were (1) previous neck surgery, (2) substernal goiter, (3) lymph node or distance metastasis, and (4) suspicious invasion to the adjacent organs. Propensity score matching was conducted to reduce selective bias. Main outcomes and measures: Operative time, blood loss, and complications related to thyroid surgery. Results: Of the 425 patients who underwent transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy (mean age, 35.3 [12.1] years; age range, 16-81 years; 389 [92.2%] female), 422 successfully were treated with the TOETVA; 3 patients were converted to a conventional operation because of bleeding. Twenty-five patients (5.9%) had transient recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy, and 46 (10.9%) had transient hypoparathyroidism. None had permanent recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy or permanent hypoparathyroidism. Three patients (0.7%) had transient mental nerve injury; all cases resolved by 4 months. One patient developed postoperative hematoma treated by OT. Twenty patients (4.7%) had seroma treated by simple aspiration. Operative time was longer for the TOETVA compared with the OT group (100.8 [39.7] vs 79.4 [32.1] minutes, P = 1.61 × 10-10). The mean (SD) visual analog scale score for pain was lower in the TOETVA group (1.1 [1.2] vs 2.8 [1.2], P = 2.52 × 10-38). Estimated mean (SD) blood loss (36.9 [32.4] vs 37.6 [23.1] mL, P = .43) and rate of complications (45 of 216 [20.8%] vs 38 of 216 [17.6%], P = .41) were not significantly different in the TOETVA vs OT group. Conclusions and relevance: The TOETVA was performed as safely as OT, requires only conventional laparoscopic instruments, and avoids incisional scars; thus, the approach may be an option for select patients.
Article
Introduction: Though advancing age is known to influence the formation of thyroid nodules, the precise relationship remains unclear. Furthermore, it is uncertain if age influences the risk any thyroid nodule may prove cancerous. Aim: To determine the impact of patient age on nodule formation, multinodularity, and risk of thyroid malignancy. Method: We conducted a prospective cohort analysis of consecutive adults (ages 20-95 years) who presented for evaluation of nodular disease from 1995-2011. 6,391 patients underwent ultrasound and FNA of 12,115 nodules ≥1 cm. Patients were divided into six age groups and compared using sonographic, cytologic, and histologic endpoints. Result: The prevalence of thyroid nodular disease increases with advancing age. The mean number of nodules at presentation increased from 1.5 in the youngest cohort (ages 20-30) to 2.2 in the oldest cohort (>70 years old; P < 0.001), demonstrating a 1.6% annual increased risk for multinodularity (OR 1.02, P < 0.001). In contrast, the risk of malignancy in a newly identified nodule declined with advancing age. Thyroid cancer incidence per patient was 22.9% in the youngest cohort, but 12.6% in the oldest cohort (OR 0.972, P < 0.001), demonstrating a 2.2% decrease per year in the relative risk of malignancy between ages 20-60, which stabilized thereafter. Despite a lower likelihood of malignancy, identified cancers in older patients demonstrated higher risk histological phenotypes. While nearly all malignancies in younger patients were well-differentiated, older patients were more likely to have higher risk PTC variants, poorly differentiated cancer, or anaplastic carcinoma (P<0.001). Conclusion: With advancing age, the prevalence of clinically relevant thyroid nodules increases while the risk such nodules are malignant decreases. Nonetheless, when thyroid cancer is detected in older individuals, a higher risk histological phenotype is more likely. These data provide insight into the clinical paradox that confronts physicians managing this common illness.
Article
Background: A new approach to modifying facelift incision was recently developed for robotic thyroid surgery that seemed to be advantageous over other existing approaches. In this study, we aimed to investigate the feasibility and safety of the facelift approach not only for robotic thyroid surgery, but also for endoscope-assisted thyroid surgery. Methods: Endoscope-assisted facelift thyroid lobectomy was performed for 11 patients with papillary microcarcinoma. Results: All 11 operations were successfully performed endoscopically. This approach through a modified facelift incision provided safe dissection of the laryngeal nerves and exposed an adequate working space. We identified and preserved all neighboring critical structures (parathyroid gland and superior and recurrent laryngeal nerves) during surgery. The operative duration for simple thyroid lobectomy with central lymph node dissection in 11 patients was 120-180 min (average duration: 140 min). Sensory change around the earlobe occurred in three patients and was recovered within 2 months after surgery in all patients. No patient displayed laryngeal nerve palsy or a low-pitched voice. Conclusions: The facelift approach seems to provide a shorter and more direct route to the thyroid, requiring minimal dissection, and an adequate workspace not only for robotic surgery but also for endoscopic surgery. It is worthwhile to develop and refine the surgical techniques of endoscopic facelift thyroid surgery.