Effect of gasless endoscopic thyroidectomy through an axillary approach on the recurrent laryngeal nerve injury in patients with thyroid cancer.

OBJECTIVE

To observe the effect of gasless endoscopic thyroidectomy through an axillary approach (GETAN) on the recurrent laryngeal nerve in patients with thyroid cancer.

METHODS

One hundred and ten patients with thyroid cancer admitted to the department of general surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University were retrospectively selected as the research subjects. They were divided into an observation group (OG, 55 patients, treated with GETAN) and a control group (CG, 55 patients, treated with conventional radical resection for papillary thyroid cancer). Clinical indicators, pain degree, negative emotions, recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, vocal and swallowing function, and the incidence of complications were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

In terms of clinical indicators, the operation time, intraoperative blood loss, extubation time, and hospitalization time in the OG were shorter than those of the CG (all P<0.05). The scores of Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) at one, two, and three days after surgery in the OG were lower than those in the CG (all P<0.001). As for the negative emotions, the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale score, and Self-Rating Depression Scale score in the OG were lower than those in the CG (both P<0.001). The incidence of postoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve injury in the OG was lower than that of the CG (P<0.001). Another analysis showed that GETAN was a protective factor against recurrent laryngeal nerve injury in patients with thyroid cancer (P<0.05). The Voice Handicap Index and Swallowing impairment score one week and one month after surgery were lower in the OG than in the CG (all P<0.001). The incidence of postoperative complications such as hypocalcemia, wound infection, and numbness of hands and feet in the OG was lower than that in the CG (all P<0.001).

CONCLUSION

The GETAN approach is able to relieve postoperative pain, anxiety, and depression; reduce the laryngeal recurrent nerve injury; promote the recovery of laryngeal recurrent nerve; and decrease the incidence of vocal and swallowing dysfunction It is worthy of clinical promotion.