OBJECTIVETo summarize the experiences of applying three-dimensional (3D) technique in scarless endoscopic thyroidectomy (SET) via anterior chest approach.

METHODSMedical records of patients who undenvent SET using 3D technique from December 2013 to May 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. A total of 32 patients who had a preoperative ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology diagnosis of unilateral papillary thyroid carcinoma and underwent lobectomy associated with central lymph node dissection were included in this study. All patients were female with a mean age of (37 ± 10) years at diagnosis. In addition, 45 female patients who underwent traditional endoscopic thyroidectomy at the same period were randomly selected as control.

RESULTSAll surgical procedures were successfully finished. The mean surgical time in 3D group was (91. 7 ± 11. 4) minutes, and mean hospitalization time was (3. 2 ± 0. 5) days. Contemporary hoarseness was observed in one patient, and no bleeding, infection, hypocalcemia and other postsurgical complications were observed. Compared to the traditional endoscopic surgery group, 3 D group had significantly shorter surgical time of lobectomy ((23. 2 ± 5. 1) minutes vs. (28. 0 ± 5. 0) minutes, t = 4. 156, P = 0. 000). Negative results were seen in the time taking of creating surgical space ((14. 6 ± 3. 3) minutes vs. (15. 6 ± 2. 5) minutes), central lymph node dissection ((25. 1 ± 5. 4) minutes vs. (24. 4 ± 6. 3) minutes) and total surgical time ((91.7 ± 11. 4) minutes vs. (96. 1 ± 13. 0) minutes).

CONCLUSIONApplication of 3D technique in endoscopic surgery can offer 3D vision of the surgical field, thus significantly shorten lobectomy time and more easily to achieve fine dissection and functional protection of recurrent laryngeal nerves, parathyroids and other vital anatomic structures.

Adult ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Carcinoma ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; Endoscopy ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Operative Time ; Retrospective Studies ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Thyroidectomy ; methods

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility, safety and efficacy of endoscopic thyroidectomy in the treatment of papillary thyroid carcinoma through clinical follow-up. Methods: Patients who underwent total thyroidectomy and had a final pathologic diagnosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma at Department of Thyroid Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine between February 2013 and April 2014 were enrolled in this study; those who had family history of thyroid cancer or a history of radiation of the neck area were excluded. There were 78 male and 228 female pantients, aging from 20 to 77 years with an age of (45.6±12.7) years. The patients were then divided into two groups: endoscopic surgery group (n=48) and traditional open surgery group (n=258). The clinical and pathological features and long-term follow-up data were collected and analyzed. The differences in surgical trauma, completeness, postoperative complications, and recurrence and metastasis risks between the two groups were compared by t test, rank-sum test, χ² test or Fisher exact test. Results: Compared to open surgery, endoscopic thyroidectomy had significant longer surgical time ((3.2±0.6) hours vs. (1.6±0.5) hours, t=17.904, P=0.000), two cases converted to open surgery because of tumor invasion of the recurrent laryngeal nerve, and one because of a false negative cell biology preopertively. The two groups showed no significant difference in surgical trauma which was measured by bleeding, white blood cell, C reactive protein, drainage, and et al. During follow up, the two groups had no significant difference in rate of Tg<1 μg/L (97.9% vs. 91.9%, P=0.220). Recurrent rate showed no significant difference (4.1% in endoscopic group vs. 3.1% in open group, P=0.665) between the two groups after follow-up of (40.8±4.7) months. Recurrent time were either not significantly different ((23.5±21.9) months vs. (20.0±14.6) months, P=0.785) between the two groups. Conclusion Compared with conventional open thyroidecomy, endoscopic thyroidectomy has the same safety, surgical completeness and long-term therapeutic effect.

Objective To explore the technique and significance of intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) for scarless in the neck endoscopic thyroidectomy (SET) via breast approach.Methods From Apr.2015 to Oct.2015,101 consecutive patients undergoing SET with IONM were included.During the operation,patients received radical resection of the thyroid cancer by Wang's seven-step method.The lymph nodes in the central area were dissected and Wang's multi-functional separation forceps were implemented for recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) positioning,monitoring and protection.Also,time required for RLN positioning and exposure,postoperative transient and permanent RLN damage incidence were calculated to assess the feasibility of IONM under SET.Results Among 101 patients,130 RLNs in total were exposed.The average time required for RLN positioning under IONM was (3.26 ± 1.08)min,with round-nerve management time of (13.95 ± 4.58)min.Nerve signal change happened in 16.9％(22/130) patients.Positive predictive value was 13.6％ and negative predictive value was 100％.The overall accuracy rate was 85.4％.Conclusion IONM during SET is feasible,and can be helpful for the localization and functional protection of RLN and was useful to predict vocal cord paralysis.

Objective: To summarize the preliminary experience with transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy via vestibular approach (TOETVA). Methods: A total of 150 consecutive patients with thyroid disease underwent TOETVA from November 2014 to February 2017 at Department of Thyroid Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine. The patients were comprised of 138 females and 12 males. The mean age of the patients was (31.7±7.6) years (ranging from 15 to 51 years). There were 108 patients of differential thyroid carcinoma (T1 or T2 ≤3 cm, cN0 or cN1a, M0) and 42 patients of benign thyroid disease (solid nodule ≤6 cm). The criteria analyzed were clinicopathologic characteristics, types of operation, operation time, complications and results of follow-up. Results: Two cases were converted into open surgery due to an incredible unexpected tumor size and tracheal invasion, respectively. One hundred and three patients with papillary carcinoma underwent transoral central neck dissection (CND), with the mean operation time of (146±34) minutes for hemithyroidectomy with CND, and (187±36) minutes for total or near total thyroidectomy with CND. The mean number of lymph node yields was 8.2±4.7, and the lymph node metastasis rate was 41.7% (43/103). Regarding postoperative complications, transient hoarseness occurred in 3 patients, and permanent recurrent laryngeal nerve occurred in 2 patients. One patient had local infection or transient mental nerve palsy. Transient hypocalcemia occurred in 31.8% of 22 patients who underwent total, near-total, or subtotalthyroidectomy, and no permanent hypocalcemia was registered. Mean hospital stay after operation was (3.5±0.6) days (ranging from 2 to 5 days). Mean follow-up period was (11.5±7.8) months (ranging from 1 to 28 months), no recurrence or metastasis occurred. Conclusions TOETVA is feasible and safe for strictly selective patients. It brings perfect cosmetic effect. Long-term follow-up and further study is needed to assess its curative effect.

Objective: To evaluate the predictive accuracy of fine needle aspiration (FNA) and BRAF V600E mutation in distinguishing papillary thyroid carcinoma and other thyroid nodules. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 93 patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma who treated at Department of Thyroid Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, College of Medicine from September 2016 to May 2018. There were 21 males and 72 females with age of (43.2±11.3) years (range: 19 to 67 years). All the patients got the examinations of FNA and BRAF V600E mutation by Amplification Refractory Mutation System, and subsequently underwent thyroid surgeries. The results of cytopathology, frozen section and pathology were collected and analyzed. The predictive accuracy of FNA cytology and BRAF V600E mutation was calculated. Results: In the 93 collected cases, 91 were diagnosed as papillary thyroid carcinoma postoperation, and the accurate predictive rate was 97.8%. Subgroup analysis was performed according to Bethesda System, the predictive rates were: unsatisfactory (Ⅰ) 6/6, benign (Ⅱ) 0/0, atypia of undetermined significance or follicular lesion of undetermined significance (Ⅲ) 16/17, follicular neoplasm or suspicious for follicular neoplasm (Ⅳ) 97.2% (35/36), suspicious for malignancy (Ⅴ) 100% (28/28), and malignant (Ⅵ) 6/6, respectively. Conclusion Thyroid nodules with BRAF V600E mutation can be strongly speculated as papillary thyroid carcinoma.