Endoscopic thyroidectomy and sentinel lymph node biopsy via an anterior chest approach for papillary thyroid cancer

The clinical role of endoscopic thyroidectomy and sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) for differentiated thyroid cancer remains open to debate. Conventional thyroidectomy requires a cervical incision and often leaves an unsightly scar on the anterior neck. Endoscopic thyroidectomy is technically feasible and safe, with much better cosmetic results. The prognostic importance of lymph node metastasis in thyroid cancer makes central lymph node dissection a crucial option in thyroid cancer surgery. However, it is associated with an increased risk of complications such as recurrent laryngeal nerve injury or hypoparathyroidism, even in expert hands. Thus, the feasibility and future role of SLNB in thyroid cancer remains controversial. We describe our technique of performing endoscopic thyroidectomy with SLNB and central lymph node dissection via a gasless anterior chest approach for thyroid cancer.