Impact of the basic skills of endoscopic technology on the learning curve of gasless transaxillary posterior endoscopic thyroidectomy
10.3760/cma.j.cn115807-20240411-00112
- VernacularTitle:腔镜技术基础对无充气腋窝入路腔镜下甲状腺手术学习曲线的影响
- Author:
Ping SUN
1
;
Yushuai ZHANG
1
;
Rundong HE
1
;
Shuai ZHANG
1
;
Xuehai BIAN
1
;
Qingfeng FU
1
;
Daqi ZHANG
1
;
Yantao FU
1
;
Hui SUN
1
;
Le ZHOU
1
Author Information
1. 吉林大学中日联谊医院甲状腺外科 吉林省外科转化医学重点实验室 吉林省甲状腺疾病防治工程实验室,长春 130033
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Thyroid;
Thyroidectomy;
Endoscopic surgery;
Gasless unilateral axillary approach;
Learning curve
- From:
Chinese Journal of Endocrine Surgery
2025;19(1):35-39
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To evaluate the relevant factors to optimize the learning curve and the impact of the basic skills of endoscopic technology on the learning curve of gasless transaxillary posterior endoscopic thyroidectomy.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed to evaluate the clinical outcomes of 50 patients who underwent Glandular Ultrasound-Assisted (GUA) thyroid surgery by a surgeon with a background in endoscopic thyroid surgery via the thoracic-areolar approach, and 50 patients operated on by a surgeon without such experience at the Thyroid Surgery Department of Jilin University China-Japan Union Hospital from Apr. to Dec. 2023. The patients were divided into two groups: the Endoscopic Experience Group and the Non-Endoscopic Experience Group. The Cumulative Sum Control Chart (CUSUM) was applied to construct learning curves for both groups, dividing the technical exploration period from the mastery period. The analysis compared the surgical time, postoperative first-day drainage volume, number of central lymph nodes dissected rates, and postoperative complications between the two groups and across the two phases.Results:The analysis of the learning curve revealed that the inflection point of the Endoscopic Experience Group was 15, while of the Non-Endoscopic Experience Group was 18. The learning curve was divided into the technical exploration stage and the proficient mastery stage. The operative time of technical exploration stagde was significantly longer than of proficient mastery stage of both group (183.46±36.13min vs.144.40±26.14min, P<0.001; 186.89±48.91min vs.131.59±22.90min; P<0.001) . The operative time in the proficient mastery stage of the Endoscopic Experience Group was longer than that of the Non-Endoscopic Experience Group (144.40±26.15min vs. 131.59±22.90min, P<0.05) . The postoperative drainage volume in the Endoscopic Experience Group was lower than that in Non-Endoscopic Experience Group in both stages (65.40±32.48mL vs.93.22±30.67mL, 57.40±15.35mL vs.78.50±28.30mL, P<0.05) , and the postoperative drainage volume in the proficient mastery stage of the Non-Endoscopic Experience Group was significantly lower than in the technical exploration stage (93.22±30.67mL vs.78.50±28.30mL, P<0.05) .No significant differences in central lymph node dissection numbers or postoperative complications were observed between the groups at both stages. Conclusions:There is a specific learning curve in the early stage of gasless transaxillary posterior endoscopic thyroidectomy. After crossing the learning curve, the operation time is obviously shortened with the improvement of the operator's surgical technique.Having a basic understanding of endoscopic technology in the early stage can reduce the occurrence of postoperative drainage, but has a minimal impact on the learning curve.