[Video-assisted hemithyroidectomy: surgical technique and early results]

To date, there are only very few data on minimally invasive thyroid surgery. In a prospective study (11/99-11/00), videoscopically assisted hemithyroidectomy was performed on 18 patients (3 M, 15 F; age 22-56 years) with uninodular thyroid disease. The length of the cervical incision was between 15 and 25 mm; 8 patients were operated on using initial gas insufflation and 10 patients with a gasless technique. The mean operative time was 96 +/- 23 min, significantly longer than in a conventionally operated group (n = 26) during the same period. No complications were observed. Videoscopically assisted hemithyroidectomy is feasible and can be considered in selected patients.