Robotic modified radical neck dissection by bilateral axillary breast approach for papillary thyroid carcinoma with lateral neck metastasis.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety of robotic modified radical neck dissection compared to open modified radical neck dissection.


METHODS
We enrolled 78 patients who were diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer and underwent total thyroidectomy, bilateral central neck dissection, and modified radical neck dissection between March 2011 and February 2013. Of these patients, 65 underwent an open procedure and 13 underwent a robotic procedure using the bilateral axillary breast approach (BABA). These 2 groups were retrospectively compared.


RESULTS
The mean age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and tumor size were not significantly different between groups. There were no differences in the number of retrieved lymph nodes, metastatic lymph nodes, or stimulated thyroglobulin level between the 2 groups. The operation time was longer in the robotic group than in the open group.


CONCLUSIONS
Robotic modified radical neck dissection using BABA is safe and shows oncologic and postoperative outcomes comparable to those of the open procedure.
Department of Surgery, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Byung
B
Seup Kim
Kyung Ho
KH
Kang
Sung Jun
SJ
Park
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001365:Axilla; D001940:Breast; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D037981:Neck Dissection / Q000379:methods*; D061646:Operative Time; D056888:Patient Positioning; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D065287:Robotic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D000077273:Thyroid Cancer, Papillary; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
modified radical neck dissection; papillary thyroid carcinoma; robotic