[Indications and techniques of minimally invasive surgery applied to the thyroid].

Minimally invasive surgery of the thyroid gland is not associated with any increase in postoperative morbidity (recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis, hypoparathyroidism). While it produces a better cosmetic result, it is a technically considerably more demanding procedure than conventional thyroidectomy. Safety and feasibility are highly dependant on strict patient selection. Since only a limited number of patients meet the selection criteria for minimally invasive surgery, the technique is likely to remain an option for a small number of patients only.