Extracervical endoscopic thyroid surgery via Bilateral Axillo-Breast approach (BABA)

Area of Science:

• Endoscopic surgery
• Thyroid surgery
• Minimal access surgery

Background:

• Scarless thyroid surgery, or endoscopic thyroidectomy (SET), is an emerging field in minimal access neck surgery.
• Hybrid endoscopic approaches, including axillary-breast and bilateral axillo-breast (BABA), are widely adopted.
• Over 130 SET cases have been performed using various approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the surgical technique of the bilateral axillo-breast approach (BABA) for endoscopic thyroidectomy.
• To evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the BABA technique based on extensive surgical experience.

Main Methods:

• The study details the surgical technique of the bilateral axillo-breast (BABA) approach for scarless endoscopic thyroidectomy.
• Experience encompasses over 130 cases utilizing various SET methods, including ABA, BABA, and transoral vestibular approaches.

Main Results:

• The bilateral axillo-breast (BABA) approach is identified as highly suitable for specific patient profiles.
• Ideal candidates for BABA include those with larger goiters (≥6cm), toxic glands, or low-grade thyroid cancers seeking scarless surgery.

Conclusions:

• The bilateral axillo-breast (BABA) endoscopic thyroidectomy is a refined technique for selected thyroid conditions.
• This approach offers a scarless solution for patients with larger goiters, toxic glands, or early-stage thyroid cancers.