Transoral robotic thyroidectomy – a neck scarless procedure of cosmesis with cure

Background: 

This is a study of 15 patients undergoing trans-oral robotic thyroidectomy for benign diseases over a period of 7 months in a single institute, Yashoda super-specialty hospital, Secunderabad.

Treatment: 

Transoral robotic thyroidectomy is an emerging new technique. The patient is placed in the supine position with extension at the neck, nasal intubation is done, and the oral cavity is cleaned with saline and betadine. There are very few complications postoperatively. Out of the 15 patients undergoing the procedure, 3 had lower lip edema in the immediate postoperative period, which subsided without any intervention. None of the patients had hematoma formation. No evidence of surgical emphysema was found in any patient. There was no evidence of any numbness of the chin, suggesting preservation of the mental nerve, and no hoarseness of voice, preserving the recurrent laryngeal nerve in the postoperative period.

The robotic trans-oral approach to the thyroid is gaining demand due to superior cosmetic results. The flexibility of the endo-wrist of the robot comes into play for the dissection of the thyroid gland in the restricted space. The robot provides a 3D vision and magnified view, which gives an added advantage of identification and meticulous handling of the neurovascular structures, thereby avoiding complications.