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Robot-assisted endoscopic surgery for thyroid cancer: experience with the first 100 patients

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Abstract

Background

Various robotic surgical procedures have been performed in recent years, and most reports have proved that the application of robotic technology for surgery is technically feasible and safe. This study aimed to introduce the authors’ technique of robot-assisted endoscopic thyroid surgery and to demonstrate its applicability in the surgical management of thyroid cancer.

Methods

From 4 October 2007 through 14 March 2008, 100 patients with papillary thyroid cancer underwent robot-assisted endoscopic thyroid surgery using a gasless transaxillary approach. This novel robotic surgical approach allowed adequate endoscopic access for thyroid surgeries. All the procedures were completed successfully using the da Vinci S surgical robot system. Four robotic arms were used with this system: a 12-mm telescope and three 8-mm instruments. The three-dimensional magnified visualization obtained by the dual-channel endoscope and the tremor-free instruments controlled by the robotic systems allowed surgeons to perform sharp and precise endoscopic dissections.

Results

Ipsilateral central compartment node dissection was used for 84 less-than-total and 16 total thyroidectomies. The mean operation time was 136.5 min (range, 79–267 min). The actual time for thyroidectomy with lymphadenectomy (console time) was 60 min (range, 25–157 min). The average number of lymph nodes resected was 5.3 (range, 1–28). No serious complications occurred. Most of the patients could return home within 3 days after surgery.

Conclusions

The technique of robot-assisted endoscopic thyroid surgery using a gasless transaxillary approach is a feasible, safe, and effective method for selected patients with thyroid cancer. The authors suggest that application of robotic technology for endoscopic thyroid surgeries could overcome the limitations of conventional endoscopic surgeries in the surgical management of thyroid cancer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, C.P.O. Box 8044, 250 Seongsanno, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-752, South Korea

    Sang-Wook Kang, Jong Ju Jeong, Tae Yon Sung, Seung Chul Lee, Yong Sang Lee, Kee-Hyun Nam, Hang Seok Chang, Woong Youn Chung & Cheong Soo Park

  2. Department of Surgery, Sungkyunkwan University, School of Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, 108 Pyung-dong, Jongno-Ku, Seoul, South Korea

    Ji-Sup Yun

Authors
  1. Sang-Wook Kang
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  2. Jong Ju Jeong
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  3. Ji-Sup Yun
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  4. Tae Yon Sung
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  5. Seung Chul Lee
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  6. Yong Sang Lee
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  7. Kee-Hyun Nam
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  8. Hang Seok Chang
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  9. Woong Youn Chung
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  10. Cheong Soo Park
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Woong Youn Chung.

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Kang, SW., Jeong, J.J., Yun, JS. et al. Robot-assisted endoscopic surgery for thyroid cancer: experience with the first 100 patients. Surg Endosc 23, 2399–2406 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-009-0366-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-009-0366-x

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