Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 3, 2025
Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy Vestibular Approach for Thyroid Lobectomy
Published on: May 12, 2023
Comparison of efficacy, safety, and patient satisfaction between thermal ablation, conventional/open thyroidectomy,
Xiao-Wan Bo1,2,3,4, Feng Lu1,2,3,4, Song-Yuan Yu1,2,3,4
1Department of Medical Ultrasound, Center of Minimally Invasive Treatment for Tumor, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
Purpose:
Thermal ablation (TA) is a minimally invasive treatment method for symptomatic benign thyroid nodules (BTNs). This study aimed to evaluate the value of TA by comparing the efficacy, safety, and patient satisfaction with conventional/open thyroidectomy (ConT) and endoscopic thyroidectomy (ET) for symptomatic BTNs.
Methods:
Patients with symptomatic BTNs who underwent ConT, ET, or TA therapy between January 2018 and January 2020 were included. Pre-operation data of the two comparisons (TA vs. ConT and TA vs. ET) was balanced using propensity score matching. The technique efficacy (volume reduction ratio ≥50%), nodule disappearance, and regrowth rate were calculated after ablation. The operation and hospitalization time, medical cost, complications, post-operative symptoms, and cosmetic scores were recorded and compared. Patient satisfaction was evaluated using a telephone survey.
Results:
After a median 19-month follow-up (range, 12-36 months), the technique efficacy rate, nodule disappearance, and regrowth rate were 93.2% (119/129), 6.8% (10/129), and 0.8% (1/129), respectively. Operation time, hospitalization time, and medical costs were less for patients in the TA group than for patients in the ConT and ET groups (all p < 0.001). The incidence of complications, post-operative symptoms, cosmetic scores, and overall satisfaction were not significantly different among groups (all p > 0.05). Post-operative hypothyroidism was less frequent in the TA group than in the ConT and ET groups (all p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
Compared to ConT and ET, TA has comparable efficacy, safety, and patient satisfaction and exhibits greater protection of thyroid function for the treatment of symptomatic BTNs.
