[Endoscope-assisted thyroidectomy by chest approach with good cosmetic results].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the feasibility, safety, and cosmetic efficacy of endoscope-assisted thyroidectomy (EAT) by chest approach.


METHODS
Fifty-one patients with single benign thyroid nodule < or = 4.0 cm in diameter, and without history of neck surgery or irradiation, 8 males and 43 females, aged 33.9 (18-64), underwent endoscope-assisted thyroidectomy by chest approach: a skin incision with the length of 4 cm was made in the chest, an endoscope was inserted, and subtotal or total thyroidectomy with the technique similar to that in conventional surgery was performed with naked eyes.


RESULTS
Subtotal thyroidectomy was performed in 49 patients, and total excision of unilateral thyroid lobe plus isthmus lobectomy and contralateral partial lobectomy was performed on the other 2 patients. No patient was transferred to traditional surgery. Only one case showed palsy of recurrent nerve. Most patients expressed with the cosmetic results.


CONCLUSIONS
EAT is a feasible and safe procedure with rather good cosmetic
Luo
Can-hua
CH
Department of Cardiovascular and Thyroid Surgery, First Municipal People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan 528000, China.
Tan
Yu-can
YC
Xu
Guo-jian
GJ
Deng
San-zhu
SZ