Endoscopic thyroidectomy is a treatment option in recent years. Doctors will make incisions in less visible areas such as below the collar bone, areola or armpits where these are normally covered. Through the incisions, the traction device help separate the patient’s skin and neck muscles and help remove problematic thyroid tissue under an endoscope.
Compared to traditional surgery, endoscopic thyroidectomy contains the following characteristics:
1.
Area of the wound is significantly smaller and reduced to between 1 and 2 cm
2.
Less visible wound which can be covered by clothing items
However, as the thyroid gland is covered with other nerves and parathyroid, it demands higher skills and surgical proficiency in surgeons who perform endoscopic thyroidectomy. Endoscopic thyroidectomy is completed in 1.5 to 2.5 hours, roughly 30 minutes longer than the traditional approach. But as the surgical wounds can be "hidden", the surgery is more popular with young female patients or those who are conscious about their appearances.
Endoscopic thyroidectomy can be carried out by inserting surgical instruments and endoscope through hidden areas such as the armpit
Patients are generally not recommended to consider “endoscopic surgery” under the following circumstances:
Suffers from hyperthyroidism
Malignant tumor
Area of the thyroid tumor is 4 to 5 cm or above
Minimally invasive surgery carries similar risks to traditional thyroid operations, such as having a coarse voice. If the parathyroid is affected, patients could also have calcium disorders.
Surgical wound heals naturally and does not leave a "centipede-like" scar
