Premium
Safety and feasibility of elective minimally invasive video‐assisted central neck dissection for thyroid carcinoma
Author(s) -
Neidich Marci J.,
Steward David L.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
head and neck
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.012
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1097-0347
pISSN - 1043-3074
DOI - 10.1002/hed.21733
Subject(s) - medicine , hypoparathyroidism , neck dissection , dissection (medical) , surgery , thyroid carcinoma , thyroid , thyroidectomy , paresis , parathyroid hormone , carcinoma , calcium
Background Minimally invasive video‐assisted thyroidectomy (MIVAT) is accepted as treatment for select patients with thyroid carcinoma. We report both benefits and limitations of elective central neck dissection performed with the MIVAT technique. Methods Patients undergoing elective central neck dissection with MIVAT during November 2006 to October 2009 were studied retrospectively. Outcomes included complications and recurrence rates. Results In all, 28 patients were studied. There were no recurrences, with median follow‐up of 14 months. Eleven patients (39%) had positive central lymph nodes for metastases. No permanent hypocalcemia resulted, although 3 patients (10.7%) experienced transient hypocalcemia on postoperative day 1 (Ca <8 mg/dL). No permanent hypoparathyroidism resulted, although 7 patients (25%) had transient hypoparathyroidism (postanesthesia care unit parathyroid hormone [PTH] <8 mg/dL) treated with short‐term supplementation. Transient recurrent laryngeal nerve paresis occurred in 1 patient (3.6%). At the most recent check, 91% of patients had low/undetectable (<1 ng/mL) thyroglobulin. Conclusions Elective central neck dissection performed with MIVAT is a safe and feasible procedure in our institutional experience. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2012