title: Minimal Endoscope-assisted Thyroidectomy Through a Retroauricular Approach: An Evolving Solo Surgery Technique.
abstract: This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of minimal endoscope-assisted thyroidectomy (MEAT) through a retroauricular (RA) approach. Most of the thyroidectomy operative time was accounted for by direct visualization through the RA window, minimizing interference between surgical instruments. Endoscope use was minimized and limited to critical surgical aspects, including preservation of the recurrent laryngeal nerve and parathyroid glands. The recurrent laryngeal nerve was neuromonitored throughout the procedure. MEAT through an RA approach was performed in 8 patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (mean tumor size, 1.2±0.5 cm). The mean patient age was 41.1±7.5 years. The endoscopic operating time was 19±3.4 minutes, and no postoperative hematoma, seroma, or vocal cord paralysis was observed. MEAT through an RA approach was feasible and safe. Solo thyroidectomy through the RA approach is possible without depending on an endoscopic view, overcoming limited working space and minimizing instrument interference during endoscopic RA thyroidectomy.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Cheonan †Department of Medicine, The Graduate School of Yonsei University §Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul ‡Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Myung Jin
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Ban
authors.forename: Jae Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Won Shik
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hyung Kwon
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Byeon
authors.forename: Yoon Woo
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: Jae Hong
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary; D054644:Ear Auricle; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D061646:Operative Time; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000077273:Thyroid Cancer, Papillary; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014741:Video Recording