Surgical outcomes of robotic thyroid surgery using a double incision gasless transaxillary approach: Analysis of 400 cases treated by the same surgeon

Background The purpose of this study was to evaluate the surgical outcomes of 400 cases of robotic thyroid surgery using a double incision gasless transaxillary approach. Methods We analyzed 400 patients who underwent a robot‐assisted thyroidectomy performed by a single surgeon. Results All patients underwent successful operations without conversion to open surgery. Transient hypoparathyroidism was the most common complication (51.7%) and permanent hypoparathyroidism occurred in only 2 patients (1.4%). The mean number of retrieved central lymph nodes was 6.5 ± 4.4 for ipsilateral central compartment node dissection and 8.4 ± 5.1 for bilateral central compartment node dissection. The proportion of patients with stimulated thyroglobulin (sTg) levels at the time of remnant ablation <10 ng/mL and sTg levels 6 to 12 months after the first ablation <1 ng/mL was 84.9% and 88.3%, respectively. Conclusion Robotic thyroid surgery is technically safe and may be a surgical option for patients with well‐differentiated thyroid cancer. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck , 36: 1413–1419, 2014