title: Single-port access transaxillary totally endoscopic thyroidectomy: a new approach for minimally invasive thyroid operation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Various techniques for minimally invasive thyroid surgery have been described over the last decade. As interest in single-port access laparoscopic surgery (SPA™) continues to grow, the authors present their technique and short-term outcomes for single-port access transaxillary totally endoscopic thyroidectomy in the management of benign thyroid tumors in a series of 4 patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four consecutive patients from a prospectively maintained endoscopic thyroidectomy database were analyzed under an institutional review board-approved protocol. Clinical characteristics and short-term outcomes were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the patients were young women with no prior neck surgery. A single-port totally endoscopic thyroidectomy was performed for thyroid adenoma in 2 cases and for nodular goiter in 2 cases. Retraction, exposure, and extraction were possible in all cases. The average operating room time was 92.5 minutes. Postoperative pain scores on postoperative day 1 were all 1/10. No patient experienced complications. The median hospital stay was 1.75 days. The mean specimen size was 2.7 cm × 2.375 cm × 2.625 cm. The patients were uniformly pleased with the cosmetic results of the operation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Single-port access transaxillary totally endoscopic partial thyroidectomy appears to be safe and feasible. This technique may provide both an attractive way to reduce injury to the anterior neck tissue and a method for ideal cosmetic effect.
authors: Department of the Second General Surgery, Sheng Jing Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, People's Republic of China.
authors: Ying
authors: Y
authors: Fan
authors: Shuo-Dong
authors: SD
authors: Wu
authors: Jing
authors: J
authors: Kong
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000601:surgery*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001365:Axilla / Q000601:surgery; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006044:Goiter, Nodular / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000379:methods*