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Background: Endoscopic thyroidectomy offers excellent cosmetic outcomes, but requires a period of time for surgeons to become proficient. We examined the learning curve for the first 100 cases experienced by a single surgeon using a video-assisted neck surgery (VANS) subclavian approach.Methods: We retrospectively studied 100 patients (99 women, 1 man; mean age, 36.2 years) with both benign and malignant thyroid diseases treated between 2016 and 2020.Results: Preoperative diagnosis was papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) in 36 cases and other (non-PTC) in 64 cases. All patients underwent lobectomy, with unilateral central node dissection added for patients with PTC. Mean operative time was 125 min for non-PTC cases and 129 min for PTC cases (p = 0.43), with blood loss of 33.8 ml and 7.6 ml, respectively (p = 0.01). Recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis (RNP) was observed in 12 patients (12%) and hemorrhage in 2 patients (2%). Comparing the first 30 cases with the last 70 cases, no significant differences in operative time or blood loss were evident, although tumor size of non-PTC cases was significantly greater among later cases (32.4 mm vs. 39.5 mm, p = 0.039). RNP was significantly decreased in later cases (26.7% vs. 5.7%, p = 0.003). Multivariate analysis revealed tumor size as a significant risk factor for increased blood loss, and increased experience correlated significantly with the decrease in RNP. Conclusions:In VANS, a certain surgical level was reached after experiencing 30 cases.

Purpose To describe and evaluate our video-assisted neck surgery (VANS) method for thyroid and parathyroid diseases. Methods We describe in detail the VANS method for enucleation, lobectomy, total (nearly total) thyroidectomy, and lymph node dissection for malignancy and Graves' disease. In collaboration with the Japan Society of Endoscopic Surgery (JSES), we evaluated several aspects of this method. The JSES evaluated the method for working-space formation and surgical complications, whereas we examined the learning curve of the surgeons, and the cosmetic satisfaction of the patients and the degree of numbness and pain they experienced. We also asked patients who underwent conventional surgery whether they would have selected VANS had it been available. Results The working space for 81.5% of the procedures in Japan was created using the gasless lifting method. The learning curve, considering both blood loss and operating time, decreased after 30 cases. Both factors improved for tumors smaller than 5 cm in diameter. Over 60% of the patients who underwent conventional surgery stated that they would have selected VANS, had it been available. Postoperative pain was worse after conventional surgery than after VANS, but neck numbness after VANS was more frequent than expected. Conclusions The VANS method is a feasible, safe, and cost-effective procedure with clear cosmetic advantages over conventional surgery.

In our patients with MEN2B, prophylactic or early thyroidectomy could not be performed. The characteristic phenotype associated with MEN2B is almost always seen prior to detection of MTC or pheochromocytoma. Knowledge about the non-endocrine manifestations of MEN2B needs to be shared among pediatricians and gastroenterologists.