title: Solo-Surgeon Retroauricular Approach Endoscopic Thyroidectomy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of solo-surgeon retroauricular thyroidectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  For solo-surgery, we used an Endoeye Flex Laparo-Thoraco Videoscope (Olympus America, Inc.). A Vitom Karl Storz holding system (Karl Storz GmbH & Co.) composed of several bars connected by a ball-joint system was used for fixation of endoscope. A snake retractor and a brain-spoon retractor were used on the sternocleidomastoid.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Endoscopic thyroidectomy using the solo-surgeon technique was performed in 10 patients having papillary thyroid carcinoma. The mean patient age was 36.0 ± 11.1 years, and all patients were female. There were no postoperative complications such as vocal cord paralysis and hematoma. When compared with the operating times and volume of drainage of a control group of 100 patients who underwent surgery through the conventional retroauricular approach between May 2013 and December 2015, the operating times and volume of drainage were not significantly different (P = .781 and .541, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Solo-surgeon retroauricular thyroidectomy is safe and feasible when performed by a surgeon competent in endoscopic thyroidectomy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Korea University Anam Hospital , Seoul, South Korea .
authors.forename: Doh Young
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Korea University Anam Hospital , Seoul, South Korea .
authors.forename: Seung-Kuk
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Baek
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Korea University Anam Hospital , Seoul, South Korea .
authors.forename: Kwang-Yoon
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Jung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000601:surgery*; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary; D004322:Drainage; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D061646:Operative Time; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000601:surgery; D000077273:Thyroid Cancer, Papillary; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: endoscopic; retroauricular; solo-surgeon; solo-surgery; thyroidectomy