title: Comparison of surgical completeness between robotic total thyroidectomy versus open thyroidectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the surgical completeness of robotic total thyroidectomy compared with conventional open thyroidectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective, case-control study.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 245 patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma who underwent total thyroidectomy and postoperative radioactive iodine (RAI) ablation. Of these, 62 patients underwent robotic thyroidectomy by a gasless unilateral axillo-breast (GUAB) or axillary (GUA) approach, and 183 underwent conventional open thyroidectomy. We analyzed serum TSH-stimulated thyroglobulin (Tg) and RAI uptake at the time of RAI remnant ablation to compare surgical completeness in the two groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Tumor characteristics and complications did not differ between the two groups except TNM stage. The mean TSH-stimulated Tg at the first RAI ablation was significantly higher in the robotic group (10.20 ± 9.98 ng/ml) than in the open group (3.85 ± 6.79 ng/ml) (P <0.001). In subgroup analysis of the robotic group by the period in which operations took place, TSH-stimulated Tg was significantly higher than in the open group in the first (13.28 ± 11.91 ng/ml) and second (10.45 ± 9.30 ng/ml) periods, but there was no significant difference in the third period (6.00 ± 6.26 ng/ml, P = 0.141). The RAI uptake rate at the first RAI ablation did not differ between the two groups, and TSH-stimulated Tg after RAI ablation was similar.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The surgical completeness of robotic total thyroidectomy by a GUAB/GUB approach is comparable to that of open thyroidectomy, if performed by experienced robotic thyroid surgeons in properly selected patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  3b. Laryngoscope, 124:1042-1047, 2014.
authors: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors: Kyung
authors: K
authors: Tae
authors: Chang M
authors: CM
authors: Song
authors: Yong B
authors: YB
authors: Ji
authors: Kyung R
authors: KR
authors: Kim
authors: Ji Y
authors: JY
authors: Kim
authors: Yun Y
authors: YY
authors: Choi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001365:Axilla; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000601:surgery*; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057216:Propensity Score; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012371:Robotics / Q000379:methods*; D013954:Thyroglobulin / Q000097:blood*; D000077273:Thyroid Cancer, Papillary; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000601:surgery*; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D013954:Thyroglobulin
keywords: Robotic thyroidectomy; endoscopic thyroidectomy; gasless unilateral axillary approach; gasless unilateral axillo-breast approach; papillary thyroid carcinoma