title: Recovery of sensation in the anterior chest area after bilateral axillo-breast approach endoscopic/robotic thyroidectomy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is concern that endoscopic/robotic thyroidectomy could impair anterior chest skin sensation. Here, this possibility was assessed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-one patients who underwent bilateral axillo-breast approach endoscopic/robotic thyroidectomy were asked 8 to 115 days (median: 29 d) later to undergo Semmes-Weinstein pressure threshold testing and to complete a questionnaire. Patient clinicopathological details were extracted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-one patients (41.2%) showed sensory impairment (sum of sensory changes ≥ 1). The average sum of sensory change (scale of 0 to 95) was 1.4 (range, 0 to 8). Impaired patients did not differ from unimpaired patients in any clinicopathological parameter except for time from operation. Compared with 1 month postsurgery, there was significantly less sensory impairment 3 months postsurgery (P=0.0083). The questionnaires yielded similar observations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The temporary and mild nature of the sensory change in the anterior chest area will relieve surgeons and patients from concerns that bilateral axillo-breast approach endoscopic/robotic thyroidectomy could permanently impair chest sensation.
authors: Department of Surgery, Haeundae Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
authors: Su-jin
authors: SJ
authors: Kim
authors: Kyu Eun
authors: KE
authors: Lee
authors: Jun Pyo
authors: JP
authors: Myong
authors: Mi Ra
authors: MR
authors: Kwon
authors: Yeo-Kyu
authors: YK
authors: Youn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001365:Axilla / Q000601:surgery; D001940:Breast / Q000601:surgery; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology*; D012371:Robotics; D012677:Sensation / Q000502:physiology*; D035441:Thoracic Wall / Q000294:innervation* / Q000601:surgery; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult