Endoscopic neck surgery: current status for thyroid and parathyroid diseases

During the last 3 years, 59 patients underwent endoscopic neck surgery. We started the video-assisted neck surgery with the gasless skin-lifting method for benign thyroid and parathyroid diseases to avoid complications of carbon dioxide (CO2) insufflation. Hemithyroidectomy was performed for benign thyroid tumors and subtotal thyroidectomy was selected for Graves' disease. Parathyroid adenomas were extirpated for primary hyperparathyroidism with precise preoperative localization by imaging modalities. In order to obtain a better visual field and to improve the cosmetic results, we have adopted the complete endoscopic method via breast approach with low CO2 insufflation pressure since August 2001. An intraoperative parathormone assay was introduced recently to confirm the complete removal of parathyroid adenomas. Both gasless and insufflation methods are feasible for endoscopic neck surgery with excellent cosmetic results.