title: A comparative study of postoperative pain for open thyroidectomy versus bilateral axillo-breast approach robotic thyroidectomy using a self-reporting application for iPad.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Postoperative pain for robotic thyroid surgeries including bilateral axillo-breast approach (BABA) has not been well studied. In this study, we have developed a self-reporting application (SRA) for iPad and prospectively collected pain scores from open thyroidectomy (OT) and BABA robotic thyroidectomy (RT) patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Female patients who underwent total thyroidectomy for papillary thyroid carcinoma were included. Patients recorded pain scores for throat, anterior neck, posterior neck, chest, and back on postoperative days 1, 2, and 3. Once discharged, on postoperative day 14, a survey was also conducted on satisfaction of SRA and cosmesis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 54 patients were enrolled (27 BABA RT and 27 OT). There were no significant differences between the 2 groups in clinicopathological characteristics and postoperative complication rates. Postoperative pain scores at days 1, 2, 3, and 14 were not significantly different between the groups for throat, anterior neck, posterior neck, or back. Postoperative analgesic requirements were similar between the 2 groups. Wound satisfaction scores were significantly higher in the BABA RT group (BABA RT 7.4 vs. OT 5.7; P = 0.016). Satisfaction scores for the usefulness of SRA were above 7.2 for all four questionnaire items on the 10-point scale.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Postoperative pain for BABA RT is equivalent to OT but offers greater cosmetic satisfaction for patients. A mobile device application such as SRA may facilitate proper assessment and management of pain in postoperative patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Seoul Metropolitan Government-Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.; Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Jun
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Chai
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Junho
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jiyoung
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.; Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jung-Woo
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.; Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ra-Yeong
authors.initials: RY
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.; Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyungju
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.; Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Su-Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
authors.forename: June Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.; Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyu Eun
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Lee
keywords: BABA; Bilateral axillo-breast approach; Postoperative pain; Robotic thyroidectomy; iPAD