Objective To compare the therapeutic effects between endoscopic thyroidectomy by anterior chest approach and modified Miccoli thyroidectomy. Methods Sixty patients with thyroid goiter were performed endoscopic thyroidectomy by anterior chest approach (endoscopic thyroidectomy by anterior chest approach group, n=30) and modified Miccoli thyroidectomy (modified Miccoli group, n=30) respectively. The operative time, the drainage volume, cosmetic benefit, the postoperative hospitalization time, the expenses of hospitalization and postoperative complications of two groups were compared. Results The operative time and the drainage volume after operation of endoscopic thyoidectomy by anterior chest approach group were significantly more than modified Miccoli group 〔(99.9±23.4) min vs. (74.0±29.6) min; (68.6±8.7) ml vs. (40.9±6.1) ml, respectively〕, Plt;0.05. The cosmetic benefit score of endoscopic thyoidectomy by anterior chest approach group was higher than that of modified Miccoli group 〔(4.7±0.2) points vs. (3.7±0.1) points〕, Plt;0.05. The postoperative hospitalization time and expenses of hospitalization were no significant differences between the two groups 〔(6.5±1.7) d vs. (5.5±0.9) d; (9 328.3±1 107.1) yuan vs. (8 568.2±1 032.3) yuan, respectively〕, Pgt;0.05. One case had transient hoarseness in 2 groups respectively, no other complications happened. Conclusions Modified Miccoli operation is both minimally invasive and cosmetic, but endoscopic thyroidectomy by anterior chest approach has better cosmetic benefit, which can release patients’ psychological trauma. The patients with specific cosmetic demand may choose endoscopic thyroidectomy by anterior chest approach.
Objective To sum up experiences in diagnosis and treatment for Hashimoto′s disease (HD). Methods Clinical records of 78 patients who underwent operations and were diagnosed as Hashimoto′s disease by histologic examination in our hospital from Jan. 1988 to Dec. 1998 were analyzed. Results Seventy females and 8 males, aged 9 to 70 years (average of 41.6 years). HD was coexistent with 10.3% of thyroid gland malignant tumor, 23.1% of adenoma and 30.8% of other thhroid gland diseases. The misdiagnosis rate was 35.9% and missed diagnosis rate was 46.2%. The clinical feature of HD and most common cause of misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis have been discussed. Conclusion It is emphasized that patients with diffuse goiter, palpable nodules, lighty color on scintillation scintigraphy, elevation of antimicosomiaux and antithyroglobuline but no finding on Bus should be highly suspected of having Hashimoto′s disease.
【Abstract】Objective To search for the significance of endoscopic thyroidectomy and parathyroidectomy. Methods Literatures about endoscopic thyroidectomy and parathyroidectomy were collected and reviewed. Results Thyroidectomy and parathyroidectomy may be performed with endoscope or with the help of endoscope. Conclusion By endoscopic thyroidectomy and parathyroidectomy, the patients are lightly injured without scar in the neck. The quality of life is improved.
OBJECTIVE In order to investigate the opportunity of repair and prognosis of recurrent laryngeal nerve injuries after thyroidectomy. METHODS Twelve cases with recurrent laryngeal nerve injuries after thyroidectomy were immediately and delayed operated on nerve repair and reinnervation. In immediate operation, 5 cases were repaired by direct recurrent laryngeal nerve suture, and 1 case was treated by transposition of the phrenic nerve to the recurrent laryngeal nerve and sutured the adductor branch to the branch of ansa cervicalis. In delayed operation, 3 cases were treated by anastomosis the main trunk of ansa cervicalis to the adductor branch of recurrent laryngeal nerve, and 3 cases were operated on neuromuscular pedicle to reinnervate posterior cricoarytenoid muscle. RESULTS Followed up 6 months, the effect was excellent in 1 case who was immediately operated by selective reinnervation of the abductor and adductor muscles of the larynx, better in 9 cases, and poor in 2 cases who were delayed operated over 12 months. CONCLUSION It can be concluded that the earlier reinnervation is performed, the better prognosis is.
Objective To evaluate if performing thyroidectomy through small incision has any notable aesthetic impact on patients compared with larger incision. Methods Thirty consecutive patients underwent thyroidectomy were enrolled from March 2008 to June 2008 in this prospective randomized pilot study. The incision length was 6 cm in the small incision group and 9 cm in the larger incision group. After 3 years follow-up，the scar aesthetics were evaluated by patients and surgeons using the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale （POSAS），Vancouver Scar Scale （VSS），respectively. Digital photographs about scars were taken and assessed by non-research related viewers. Results There were 13 cases who received scar aesthetic assessment in both groups. The demographic characteristics of both groups were comparative. The overall patients’ satisfactions for the small incision group and the larger incision group were （2.5±1.9） scores and （2.2±1.5）scores， respectively （P=0.55）. There were no significant differences in scar assessment scale score as for other scar assessment scales （including VSS score，PSAS score，and OSAS score） between the two groups. The evaluation of digital photographs about scars by non-research related viewers was no significant difference （P＞0.05）. Conclusion Larger cervical scar in thyroidectomy does not decrease patients’ satisfaction with their scar results.
Objective To explore the clinical significance of exposure the recurrent laryngeal nerve（RLN） for preventing the RLN injury in thyroidectomy. Methods The data of 1 723 patients with thyroid diseases undergoing total or subtotal thyroidectomy from September 2006 to August 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. RLN were exposed in 914 cases, 1 203 RLNs were exposed（exposed group）. RLN were unexposed in 809 cases, 1 013 sides were cut（unexposed group）. To compare RLN injury rate after operation and recovery of vocal cord in 6 months after operation between the two groups. Results In exposed group, 11 cases had RLN injury, the rate of RLN lesion was 0.91%. In unexposed group, 21 cases had RLN injury, the rate of RLN lesion was 2.07%. The differences between the two groups had statistical significance（P＜0.05）. When six months after operation, 0 case and 13 cases in exposed group and unexposed group respectively occurred permanent RLN injury, the differences between the two groups had statistical significance（P＜0.01）. Conclusion Exposure of RLN in total and subtotal thyroidectomy can significant avoid RLN injury, especially RLN permanent injury.
Objective To summary the change of surgical approaches, indications, contraindications, and complications of endoscopic thyroidectomy. Methods Endoscopic thyroidectomy related literatures at home and abroad were collected to summary the change of surgical approaches, indications, contraindications, and complications of it. Results The approaches of endoscopic thyroidectomy had their own advantages, wherein breast and complete areola approaches were mainstream surgical procedures; the indications were closely correlated with surgeons and devices, and there were no uniform indications yet. With the advance in endoscopic techniques, the contraindications would be gradually resolved, and the assistance of new devices and the accumulation of experience reduced the incidence of surgical complications, but there were still probability of occurrence of such complications. Conclusion Endoscopic thyroidectomy is the main means of treating thyroid nodules, which will be more widely used with the advance in techniques, the innovation of devices, the expansion of indications as well as the overcoming of contraindications.
Objective To explore the feasibility and safety of endoscopic thyroidectomy via chest-breast approachand summarize the operation skill. Method The clinical data of 40 cases performed endoscopic thyroidectomy via chest-breast approach from August 2010 to August 2012 in this hospital were analyzed retrospectively. Results The endoscopic thyroidectomies via chest-breast approach were successfully performed in all 40 patients without conversion to open surgery， massive haemorrhage， hypercapnia， severe subcutaneous emphysema， cutaneous necrosis on chest，permanent impairment of recurrent laryngeal nerve， and permanent hypoparathyroidism. One case of hoarseness was found on 2d after operation， who returned to normal after symptomatic treatment. One case of numbness in the extremitieshappened on day 2 after operation and the symptom was relieved through intravenous and oral administration of calcium treatment in 3d. One case of cutaneous tightness on chest happened， and it was spontaneous remission in a month. The operation time was （102±28.4） min （55-182 min）， intraoperative bleeding was （46±16.6） mL （30-106 mL）， and the drainage tube was removed postoperative 2-7d with an average （4±2.2） d， the postoperative hospitalization was 3-8 d with an average （4±1.1） d. All of the cases were followed-up after operation without low calcium， low parathyroid hormone， hoarseness， and local goiter recurrence. Two cases of hypoparathyroidism returned to normal after oral thyroxine dose adjustment. All the patients were satisfied with the cosmetic results. Conclusions The endoscopic thyroidectomy via chest-breast approach is safe and feasible with good cosmetic results. The subcutaneous Y tunnel， the “upper yellow middle white lower red” appearance on the chest， and the landmark of inverse trapezium on the neck are the key points for creation of operation compartment. Sufficient exposure， stepwise procedure， blunt dissection combined with sharp dissection in the precise gap are the surgical skills for endoscopic thyroidectomy.
Objective To investigate the anatomical character and variation of non-recurrent laryngeal nerve （NRLN）， and to explore measurement to identify and prevent injury of this nerve during thyroidectomy. Methods Clinical data of 2 211 patients who underwent thyroidectomy from Jan. 2007 to Jun. 2012 in Peking Union Medical College Hospital were analyzed retrospectively， and 114 patients with NRLN of related literature reviews were analyzed too. Results There were 3 479 recurrent laryngeal nerve （2 211 cases） which were exposed during thyroid operation in Peking Union Medical College Hospital， of which 11 cases were confirmed to be right NRLN （0.32%， 11/3 479）. Of the 11 cases， 3 cases were typeⅠ， 7 cases were typeⅡA， and 1 case was typeⅡB， one case was also found to have a recurrent branch. None of them injured during operation. One hundred and fourteen cases of NRLN （0.14%-4%） were found in literature reviews. Of the 114 cases， 109 cases were confirmed to be right NRLN， of which 4 cases were typeⅠ （3.7%， 4/109）， 75 cases were typeⅡA （68.8%， 75/109）， 9 cases were typeⅡB （8.3%， 9/109）， 21 cases were unclear （19.3%， 21/109）， 3 cases were also found to have a recurrent branch （2.8%，3/109）. Five cases were confirmed to be left NRLN， of which 2 cases were typeⅡA， 3 cases were unclear， 1 case was also found to have a recurrent branch. Of all the 104 cases reported by treatises and case reports， 16 cases injured during operation， of which 1 case was typeⅠ， 9 cases were typeⅡA， 6 cases were unclear. Conclusions NRLN， which is a rare anomaly， usually happens on the right， and very vulnerable during thyroid surgery. The most usually injured type is typeⅡA. Fully acknowledgment of the NRLN and its variant types is very helpful to avoid damage during thyroid surgery.
Objective To investigate the clinical significance of visual identification and intraoperative neuromonitoring of recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) during thyroidectomy. Methods Totally 1 664 patients underwent thyroidectomy with RLN protection from January 2009 to December 2009 were included in this study, in which 1 447 cases were protected by visual identification only, and 217 complex thyroidectomy cases were protected by visual identification and intraoperative monitoring. Results By the “multisites, three steps” RLN exposure method, 1 417 cases （85.16%） were successfully recognized and the recognition time was (3.57±1.26) min. The recognition time in the rest 30 complex cases (2.07%) without intraoperative neuromonitoring was (17.02±5.48) min. By this method, the temporary RLN injury occurred in 23 cases (1.54%) and 15 cases (65.22%) recovered within 2 weeks. In patients undewent intraoperative neuromonitoring, the recognition rate was 100% (217/217) and recognition time was (2.18±0.67) min. The temporary RLN injury occurred in 4 cases (1.84%) and 3 cases (75.00%) recovered within 2 weeks. All temporary RLN injuries recovered within 1 month and no persistent RLN injury occurred. Conclusions Conventional visual identification can reduce the RLN injury, but not meet the needs of the RLN protection during complex thyroidectomy. The combination of visual identification and intraoperative neuromonitoring can further improve the recognition rate and shorten the recovery time of vocal cord dyskinesia.