Robot-assisted Thyroidectomy: Early Experience

BACKGROUND: The numbers of thyroid surgeries have been increasing recently. Robot-assisted thyroidectomy allows for a better cosmetic outcome in comparison with conventional open thyroidectomy.METHODS: We performed two robot-assisted endoscopic thyroidectomies by a gasless unilateral axillo-breast approach using the da Vinci surgical robot system.RESULTS: We performed right thyroid lobectomies in both patients. The pathologic reports were: micropapillary carcinoma without extracapsular invasion in patient 1 and a benign cyst in patient 2. The operation times were 165 minutes in patient 1 and 110 minutes in patient 2. No postoperative complications occurred.CONCLUSION: Regarding our early experience, robotic thyroidectomy using the gasless axillo-breast approach is a safe, feasible, and cosmetically good procedure