Pain after minimally invasive videoassisted and after minimally invasive open thyroidectomy--results of a prospective outcome study.
BACKGROUND
Substantial modifications in surgical treatment of thyroid disease have changed the postoperative management of thyroidectomized patients. The reduction of postoperative pain permit a short-stay surgery.


METHODS
We have analyzed the patients treated in our Unit from July 2006 to December 2006, with minimally invasive cervicotomy and mini-invasive video-assisted thyroidectomy. We have registered the postoperative pain applying an evaluation protocol numeric scale. The results were analyzed by t test.


RESULTS
One hundred thirteen patients were divided in two groups: group A, minimally invasive cervicotomy (15 male and 46 female patients); group B, mini-invasive video-assisted thyroidectomy (9 male and 43 female patients). Upon returning to the ward, the pain scale group A vs B was 2.77 +/- 1.16 vs 2.5 +/- 0.762 (p = 0.22) .At 24 h after surgery, the pain scale in group A was 1.82 +/- 1.258 vs 1.031 +/- 0.8608 (p < 0.005).


CONCLUSIONS
Both methods are safe, but mini-invasive video-assisted thyroidectomy gives not only a better cosmetic result but a reduction of postoperative pain especially at 24 h.
Del Rio
P
P
Department of Surgical Science, General Surgery and Organ Transplantation, University of Parma, Parma, Italy. paolo.delrio@unipr.it
Berti
M
M
Sommaruga
L
L
Arcuri
M F
MF
Cataldo
S
S
Sianesi
M
M
D018263:Adenocarcinoma, Follicular / Q000601:surgery; D000231:Adenocarcinoma, Papillary / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D004954:Esthetics; D005260:Female; D006042:Goiter / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013525:Surgical Instruments; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000379:methods*; D013971:Thyrotoxicosis / Q000601:surgery; D020535:Video-Assisted Surgery / Q000379:methods*