Endoscopic thyroidectomy using a new bilateral axillo-breast approach

Introduction: Endoscopic techniques have recently been applied in thyroid surgery using cervical, axillary, and breast approaches. We modified the axillo-bilateral breast approach (ABBA) and developed the bilateral axillo-breast approach (BABA) to obtain optimal visualization for total thyroidectomy. Methods: We used two 12-mm ports through bilateral circumareolar incisions for flexible videoscopy and Harmonic scalpel and two 5-mm ports through both axillae for graspers and dissectors. Thyroidectomy was performed under full visualization of the superior and inferior thyroidal arteries, parathyroid glands, and recurrent laryngeal nerves. Results: After performing 25 ABBA endoscopic thyroid surgeries, we developed BABA and performed 110 operations using this method. The BABA operations included 52 total thyroidectomies, 2 near-total thyroidectomies, 8 subtotal thyroidectomies, 43 lobectomies, and 3 subtotal lobectomies. Pathology revealed 41 benign lesions and 69 cancers. Mean operation time was 165.3 +/- 43.5 minutes. There were 2 cases of conversion to open surgery, 1 due to cancer with capsular invasion and the other due to tracheal injury. Nine postoperative complications developed: transient unilateral vocal cord palsy in 4 cases, transient hypocalcemia in 4 cases, and postoperative infection in 1 case. The 2-month postoperative thyroglobulin level was less than 1 ng/ml in all examined cases of total thyroidectomy. Cosmetic results were excellent. Conclusions: The BABA technique for endoscopic thyroid surgery is a feasible method of total thyroidectomy with a low rate of postoperative complications and, additionally, excellent cosmetic results. Therefore, in selected cases of thyroid cancer, the BABA endoscopic total thyroidectomy should be considered as a valid surgical option.