Endoscopic transareolar thyroidectomy

  Guangdong Province is a region with a high prevalence of thyroid diseases (nodular goiter, hyperthyroidism, thyroid tumor, etc.), and most of the patients are young and middle-aged women. Traditional thyroidectomy requires a 4cm-8cm long transverse incision in the patient’s neck, which leaves a “suicide” scar and damages the aesthetics of the neck, thus affecting the patient’s self-confidence and social interaction. The psychological trauma caused by this surgery can only be reduced with the fading of the scar more than 2 years after the surgery.  Modern advances in medical technology have made it possible for patients with thyroid disease to stop worrying about neck scars and psychological trauma associated with surgery. Endoscopic transareolar thyroidectomy is currently recognized both domestically and internationally as the least invasive and most cosmetically effective method of endoscopic thyroidectomy. The surgeon makes small 0.5cm-1cm incisions in the patient’s bilateral areola locations and uses an ultrasonic knife to remove the thyroid gland with the assistance of a camera system. Due to the natural pigmentation and folds of the skin at the areola location, the incision scars are hidden and inconspicuous after surgery, and the cosmetic results are more desirable.  The indications for endoscopic thyroidectomy are: (1) benign thyroid tumors less than 4 cm in diameter (nodular goiter, thyroid adenoma, etc.). In case of cystic lesions, the diameter can be larger than 4 cm; (2) hyperthyroidism with glandular enlargement below grade II; (3) papillary microscopic carcinoma of the thyroid; (4) no serious cardiopulmonary dysfunction and those with cosmetic needs.