title: New endoscopic thyroidectomy via a unilateral axillo-breast approach with gas insufflation: Preliminary report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Invasiveness of endoscopic thyroidectomy has been in debate. The purpose of this study was to introduce new endoscopic thyroidectomy via a unilateral axillo-breast approach (UABA) with gas insufflation to lessen invasiveness.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed 68 cases of hemithyroidectomy via a UABA with gas insufflation from January to July 2011. The following variables were studied: operation time, pain score, drainage amount, drainage day, perioperative complications, pathological outcomes, and cosmetic satisfaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean postoperative pain visual analogue scale (VAS) scores were 2.75 ± 0.93 and 2.07 ± 0.79 at 1 and 3 days after surgery. The mean amount of drainage over the first 3 postoperative days was 144.35 ± 51.64 mL, and the mean time to drain removal was 3.75 ± 0.81 days. Two cases (2.9%) of transient vocal cord palsy and 2 cases (2.9%) of seroma were identified. All patients were satisfied with the cosmetic results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Endoscopic thyroidectomy via a UABA with gas insufflation is a feasible and less invasive option for selected patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Korea Cancer Center Hospital, Seoul, Korea. lmc@daum.net
authors.forename: Myung-Chul
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jeong-A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Mo
authors.forename: Ik Joon
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Byung-Chul
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Guk-Haeng
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001365:Axilla / Q000601:surgery*; D001940:Breast / Q000601:surgery*; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007327:Insufflation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult