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Endoscopic endocrine surgery in the neck. An initial report of endoscopic subtotal parathyroidectomy
T Naitoh1, M Gagner, A Garcia-Ruiz
1Department of General Surgery, /A-80 The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA.
Background:
The fervor surrounding minimally invasive surgery, which began with laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the late 1980s, has spread to nearly all surgical specialties.
Methods:
After experimental success in an animal model, we recently performed our first case of endoscopic subtotal parathyroidectomy in a 37-year-old man. The patient, who had a history of severe pancreatitis and pancreatic calculi, was diagnosed as having hyperparathyroidism. The option of endoscopic parathyroidectomy was proposed and accepted. After placing the first trocar directly under the platysma, a space was created by bluntly dissecting with the tip of a 5-mm endoscopic camera. Four parathyroid glands were identified, and after a frozen-section diagnosis of parathyroid hyperplasia, three-and-one-half of the glands were resected.
Results:
The patient developed slight hypercarbia and subcutaneous emphysema during the procedure, but no other problems were noted. His postoperative course was otherwise unremarkable.
Conclusions:
This is the first case reported of an endoscopic parathyroidectomy. This experience makes us optimistic about the future of endoscopic neck surgery.