Minimally invasive video-assisted thyroidectomy: the learning curve.
BACKGROUND
MIVAT (minimally invasive video-assisted thyroidectomy) is a recent technique that requires a learning curve.


METHODS
From July 2005 to December 2006, we treated 100 from a total of 467 thyroidectomy patients with MIVAT. We divided the patients into 3 groups. The first 2 groups consisted of 25 patients each: group A (cases 1-25) and group B (26-50). We also divided patients into 2 groups based on our surgical experience: group A + B (cases 1-50) and group C (cases 51-100).


RESULTS
The operative times for groups A and B were 101.7 and 84.6 min, respectively (p < 0.03); those for groups A + B and C were 91.07 and 63.06 min, respectively (p < 0.004). Complications of hypocalcemia were observed in 6 cases (4 in the first 50 cases and 2 in the second 50), and complications of nerve palsy were observed in 2 cases from group A.


CONCLUSIONS
After 25 cases, we observed that the MIVAT procedure allows for a lower mean operative time and a reduction of complications.
Del Rio
P
P
Department of Surgical Science, General Surgery and Organ Transplantation, University of Parma, Parma, Italy. paolo.delrio@unipr.it
Sommaruga
L
L
Cataldo
S
S
Robuschi
G
G
Arcuri
M F
MF
Sianesi
M
M
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000379:methods*; D020535:Video-Assisted Surgery