title: Robotic thyroidectomy versus conventional open thyroidectomy for differentiated thyroid cancer: meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To conduct a meta-analysis to compare the short-term outcomes of robotic thyroidectomy and conventional open thyroidectomy for differentiated thyroid cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medline, Embase, Science Citation Index Expanded and the Cochrane Library databases were searched for relevant literature. The evaluated endpoints were intra-operative and post-operative outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twelve eligible, non-randomised comparative studies involving 2513 patients were included, with 923 patients in the robotic thyroidectomy group and 1590 patients in the conventional open thyroidectomy group. Meta-analysis results revealed that robotic thyroidectomy was associated with significantly longer operative time and a lower number of retrieved central lymph nodes, as compared with conventional open thyroidectomy. No significant differences were found between robotic thyroidectomy and conventional open thyroidectomy in terms of post-operative outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Robotic thyroidectomy appears to be a feasible and safe surgical procedure for patients with differentiated thyroid cancer. However, more high-quality randomised clinical trials should be undertaken to confirm these findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery,West China Hospital,Sichuan University,Chengdu,China.
authors.forename: Y-C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology,West China Hospital,Sichuan University,Chengdu,China.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pancreatic Surgery,West China Hospital,Sichuan University,Chengdu,China.
authors.forename: J-J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.affiliation: Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery,West China Hospital,Sichuan University,Chengdu,China.
authors.forename: J-Q
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012371:Robotics / Q000379:methods*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Meta-Analysis; Robotics; Thyroid Neoplasms; Thyroidectomy