Transoral endoscopic selective lateral neck dissection for papillary thyroid carcinoma: a pilot study

Transoral endoscopic thyroid surgery via the vestibular approach (TOETVA) has been gradually accepted worldwide due to its scar-free effect on the neck. Even central cervical lymphadenectomy has been performed in some cases of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). However, there are few reports involving lateral neck dissection with TOETVA. In this study, we attempted to perform selective lateral neck dissection (SLND) for PTC via a transoral vestibular approach.

This prospective study was conducted from January 2016 to December 2018 in twenty PTC patients with unilateral T1 tumors without capsular invasion and patients with abnormal level III and IV lymph nodes who underwent SLND via a transoral vestibular approach.

Endoscopic surgery was successfully accomplished in all 20 PTC patients. The mean age was 29.2 ± 5.5 (20-41) years. The mean operation time was 146.0 ± 18.7 (114-193) min. The average postoperative hospital stay was 6.8 ± 1.3 (5-10) days. The mean number of removed nodes was 7.4 ± 2.5 (4-12) in the central neck and 10.9 ± 2.8 (6-16) in the lateral neck, and the positive yield amounts were 2.0 ± 1.2 (0-4) and 2.7 ± 1.9 (0-6), respectively. No major complications occurred except for 1 case of transient unilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy and two cases of effusion in the operative area. No evidence of persistent or recurrent disease was observed in these patients during a mean follow-up of 24.3 ± 9.1 (6-36) months. The cosmetic results and protection of personal privacy of this procedure were excellent.

Endoscopic SLND via the transoral vestibular approach is feasible, safe, and effective for selected PTCs. A multicenter large comparative study is necessary.