Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 24, 2026
Identification and Protection of the Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve during Transoral Robotic Thyroidectomy
Published on: October 24, 2025
Robotic facelift thyroidectomy: Facilitating remote access surgery
David J Terris1, Michael C Singer
1Department of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery, Georgia Health Sciences University, Augusta, GA, USA. dterris@georgiahealth.edu
Background:
A novel remote access robotic thyroidectomy technique has been described that uses as its portal a postauricular and occipital hairline (facelift) incision. Experimental investigation and clinical validation have been completed. A detailed technical description is provided.
Methods And Materials:
A young woman with a thyroid nodule was referred for surgery. Because of her concerns about a visible neck scar, she opted for remote access thyroidectomy.
Results:
A left robotic facelift thyroidectomy was performed in less than 2 hours as a drainless, outpatient procedure. Videographic demonstration of the robotic resection is included.
Conclusions:
A number of remote access thyroidectomy techniques have proliferated. We developed and described an intuitive approach that uses familiar dissection planes and avoids the need for breast incisions and crossing the clavicle.
