A team of surgeons at Yonsei University College of Medicine in Seoul, Korea, have treated 200 consecutive patients suffering with thyroid cancer.

 

This milestone has been achieved by a robot-assisted endoscopic technique, which uses a minimally invasive operation described in the August issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.

 

This novel technique has an edge over traditional open operations that don’t offer as many technical and cosmetic benefits.

 

The figures on thyroid cancer are overwhelming. The National Cancer Institute says that over 37,000 people are diagnosed with thyroid cancer each year in the United States. The most common treatment for thyroid cancer is the surgical removal of all or part of the thyroid gland.

 

This procedure needs a three- to five-inch incision across the front of the neck and dealing with narrow, deep anatomical space, delicate nerves and blood vessels in these areas.

 

This nature of operation has delayed the use of robot-assisted endoscopic operations in head and neck surgery. With robots, surgeons have a three-dimensional view and enhanced magnification of the anatomy. They also provide surgeons with the ability to filter unintentional movements of human hands, which means a safer and easier operation that preserves structures surrounding the target organ.

 

"This innovative robot-assisted technique for thyroid surgery represents an exciting new treatment option for patients with thyroid cancer," said Woong Youn Chung, MD, PhD, Yonsei University College of Medicine in Seoul. "Not only does it offer good clinical outcomes, but it also spares patients from the large, visible scar that results from traditional open surgery."

 

New advancements in technology have seen the entry of an increasing number of surgical robots into operating rooms. A recent study indicates that more patients are keen on choosing the less invasive options offered through robotic surgery.