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Updated: Jul 9, 2026
Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy Vestibular Approach for Thyroid Lobectomy
Published on: May 12, 2023
Case Report: endoscopic thyroidectomy via total areola approach in a six-year-old patient with thyroid follicular
Qingqing Cai1, Yifan Ke1, Wenchao Li1
1Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Lingnan Hospital, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Background:
Endoscopic thyroidectomy (ET) has become increasingly popular globally, but its application in young children remains largely unexplored. This study reports a 6-year-old girl with a neck mass who underwent ET via total areola approach.
Methods:
After ultrasonographic (ACR TI-RADS 4) and cytological (TBSRTC 4) confirmation, the patient underwent endoscopic right and isthmic thyroidectomy with inferior parathyroid auto-transplantation under general anesthesia. The procedure utilized 3 mm pediatric instruments, intraoperative neuromonitoring and near-infrared auto fluorescent parathyroid monitoring.
Results:
The procedure achieved complete resection with 215 min operative time and minimal blood loss. The pathological diagnosis was thyroid follicular adenoma. At 3-month follow-up, no complications and excellent cosmetic outcomes were observed.
Conclusion:
ET via total areola approach proves highly suitable for young children because of its safety and cosmetic advantages. Experienced surgeons, small-size special surgical instruments and auxiliary monitoring techniques are helpful to improve the safety of pediatric ET.
