title: Endoscopic thyroidectomy via areola approach: summary of 1,250 cases in a single institution.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect and cosmetic results of endoscopic thyroidectomy (ETE) via the areola approach for patients with thyroid diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1,250 patients with thyroid diseases underwent ETE via the areola approach between April 2005 and January 2011. Of these, 898 were benign goiters, 260 were Graves' disease, 28 were secondary hyperthyroidism, and 64 were papillary carcinomas.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The surgery was successfully completed in 1,249 cases, and 1 case was converted to open surgery. The mean operation time, estimated blood loss, and hospital stay after surgery for patients with a goiter, hyperthyroidism, and papillary carcinoma were 94.4 min, 15.2 ml, 5.0 days, 97.9 min, 16.1 ml, 5.5 days, and 134.3 min, 18.6 ml, 6.4 days, respectively. Complications included 4 cases of postoperative bleeding, 1 case of transection of the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) on one side, 7 cases of temporary RLN injury, 34 cases of transient hypocalcemia, 5 cases of skin bruising on the chest wall, and 1 case of subcutaneous infection in the neck. At 4.6-year (2.5-8 years) follow-up of 1,185 (94.8 %) patients, 3 patients with Graves' disease had recurrence of hyperthyroidism, and 4 patients with nodular goiter had recurrence of small nodules. Four patients had discomfort on swallowing, 4 patients had an abnormal sensation of skin traction on the neck and the chest, and 1 patient with scar diathesis had mild scar hyperplasia. A total of 876 patients were satisfied, 4 equivocal, and 0 unsatisfied with the cosmetic results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ETE via the areola approach for patients with benign goiters, Graves' disease, secondary hyperthyroidism, and papillary carcinomas without metastasis to lateral cervical lymph nodes is an effective and safe procedure with excellent cosmetic results.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China, twcc@jnu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Cunchuan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhiqi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Jinyi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Wah
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Hening
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhai
authors.forename: Nim
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Jingge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Youzhu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Yunlong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Guo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cao
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D001940:Breast / Q000601:surgery*; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061646:Operative Time; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult