ObjectiveTo explore optimal current intensity for neural monitoring of vagus nerve and recurrent laryngeal nerve during the thyroid and parathyroid surgery, so that we can judge function, location, identify, and protect the nerve more effectively and more quickly. MethodA total of 100 patients who underwent thyroid or parathyroid operations by the same surgeon in West China Hospital, meanwhile accepted intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM), and 186 nerves at risk were enrolled in this study. According to the standardized process of nerve monitoring, we stimulated the vagus nerve with the current strength of 1-5 mA, and respectively stimulated laryngeal recurrent nerve with 1-3 mA indirectly and directly, and recorded the amplitude of electromyographic signal, and changes of heart rate and blood pressure during the process. The purpose was seeking the optimum current strength for each stage of IONM. ResultsIn 186 vagus nerves being tested, when monitoring the vagus nerve outside the carotid sheath, 109 vagus nerves (58.6%) sent out signals and got stable electromyography and warning tone with 1 mA, 164 (88.2%) vagus nerves had signals with 2 mA, 177 (95.2%) vagus nerves had signals with 3 mA, 182 (97.8%) vagus nerves had signals with 5 mA. Before and after the vagus nerve stimulation, heart rate and blood pressure of patients had no significant change. When directly monitoring the vagus nerve with 1 mA, V1 signals had no response in 2 vagus nerves (1.1%), V2 signals had no response in 9 vagus nerves (4.8%). But if the current intensity of stimulation was 2 mA or 3 mA, all patients got stable electromyographic signals. When searching for the laryngeal recurrent nerve, 92 (49.5%) got signals with 1 mA, 171 (91.9%) got signals with 2 mA, 184 (98.9%) got signals with 3 mA. When identifying laryngeal recurrent nerve and others, if the intensity of current was more than 2 mA, the current might conduct around and produce illusion. However, if the intensity of stimulation current was 1 mA, there's no electromyographic signal when we put the probe onto the tissue close to the laryngeal recurrent nerve. During identification of branches of laryngeal recurrent nerve with current strength of 1 mA, each electromyographic signal could be obtained. The chief branch into the throat produced the highest amplitude. The esophagus and trachea branch emg amplitude value was similar, equalling to 1/3-1/4 of the amplitude value in chief branch. ConclusionsWe suggest using current intensity of 5 mA on the surface of the carotid sheath to monitor the vagus nerve indirectly and obtain V1 signal, as an alternative to opening the carotid sheath. If fail, dissecting the carotid sheath, and using current intensity of 3 mA to monitor the vagus nerve directly; 3 mA is the optimal current intensity to search for the laryngeal recurrent nerve, and 1 mA is the optimal current intensity to identify the laryngeal recurrent nerve and its branches of esophagus and trachea, blood vessels, and so on.
Objective To investigate clinical features of accidental parathyroid adenoma (APTA) and to explore diagnosis and treatment strategies of APTA. Methods From February 2009 to December 2016, the patients who would receive the thyroid surgery and were accidentally found the parathyroid adenoma by preoperative examination in the Department of Thyroid & Parathyroid Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University were enrolled in the research. The clinical characteristics, surgical procedure, results of postoperative follow-up were analyzed retrospectively, and which were compared between the patients with APTA and the other patients diagnosed as primary parathyroid adenoma or received thyroid surgery (1 : 4 chosen randomly) in the same period. Results From February 2009 to December 2016, the patients who treated with thyroid surgery and were diagnosed as the primary parathyroid adenoma in our center were 5 881 and 251 respectively. Twenty-six patients with APTA were found in this research. The incidence rate of APTA was 0.44% (26/5 881), accounted for 10.4% (26/251) of the primary parathyroid adenoma. The positive rates of the ultrasound and the parathyroid scintigraphy were 69.2% (18/26) and 72.7% (8/11), respectively. The abnormal rate of the bone mineral density examination was 85.7% (6/7). The preoperative PTH was (38.17±40.69) pmol/L (3.40–181.20 pmol/L), and the serum calcium was (2.73±0.27) mmol/L (2.22–3.23 mmol/L). The number of detected parathyroid adenoma was 29, which were 55.2% (16/29) in the right-lower, 6.9% (2/29) in the right-upper, 27.6% (8/29) in the left-lower, and 10.3% (3/29) in the left-upper location. The rate of single parathyroid adenoma was 88.5% (23/26) and the maximum diameter of parathyroid adenoma was (21.72±9.65) mm. There was 13 cases (44.8%) of the A1 type and 16 cases (55.2%) of the B1 type in these 29 parathyroid adenomas. The rates of the recurrence, postoperative transient hypoparathyroidism, and permanent hypoparathyroidism were 7.7% (2/26), 30.8% (8/26), and 3.8% (1/26), respectively. Additionally, the preoperative PTH and serum calcium levels of the patients with APTA were significantly lower as compared with the primary parathyroid adenoma (P<0.001,P<0.001), which were significantly higher as compared with those of the patients received thyroid surgery without APTA in the same period (P=0.001, P<0.001). Conclusions APTA is a specific type of asymptomatic primary hyperparathyroidism. Examinations for PTH and serum calcium levels before thyroid surgery are important for finding APTA. For the patients with APTA, it is safe and effective to carry out exploratory parathyroidectomy with thyroid surgery at the same time.
ObjectiveTo investigate the risk factors of accidental parathyroidectomy following thyroid surgery.MethodsData of patients who accepted at least total thyroidectomy in the Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Thyroid and Parathyroid Diseases between January 2013 and June 2016 was collected retrospectively. According to the appearance or non-appearance of parathyroid gland in the specimens after pathologic examination, the patients were divided into accidental parathyroidectomy group and non-accidental parathyroidectomy group. Clinical data was collected for comparison between the two groups. The risk factors of accidental parathyroidectomy were indentified with univariate analysis and multivariate analysis.ResultsA total of 983 patients, 50 patients in the accidental parathyroidectomy group and 933 patients in the non-accidental parathyroidectomy group, were included in the study. Incidence of temporary hypoparathyroidism was 66.0% (33/50) in the accidental parathyroidectomy group and 36.2% (338/933) in the non-accidental parathyroidectomy group, there was significant difference between the two groups (χ2=19.903, P<0.05). Incidence of permanent hypoparathyroidism was 2.0% (1/50) in the accidental parathyroidectomy group and 0.4% (4/933) in the non-accidental parathyroidectomy group, and there was no significant difference between the two groups (χ2=2.315, P=0.128). Univariate analysis showed that bilateral central lymph nodes dissection (P=0.004) and the number of identified parathyroid glands ≤2 (P=0.002) were risk factors of accidental parathyroidectomy. Multivariate analysis showed that bilateral central lymph nodes dissection [OR=2.553, 95% CI was (1.236, 5.277), P=0.011] and the number of identified parathyroid glands ≤2 [OR=2.819, 95% CI was (1.423, 5.581), P=0.003] were independent risk factors of accidental parathyroidectomy.ConclusionsAfter careful consideration of the possible risks and benefits, bilateral central lymph nodes dissection should be performed rationally. Thyroid surgeons should improve the ability of identification of parathyroid gland to reduce the incidence of accidental parathyroidectomy.
Objective To summarize the development of endoscopic thyroid surgery and expound the advantages and disadvantages. Method Reviewed the domestic and foreign literatures on different ways of endoscopic thyroid surgery. Results Gagner tried accomplish subtotal parathyroidectomy with endoscope at the first time in 1996. And then, Hüscher improved the endoscope technology and applied on thyroidectomy in 1997. Henceforth, endoscopic thyroid surgery had developed rapidly, from small neck incision surgery, such as endoscopic assisted small neck incision thyroidectomy, to traceless neck surgery, such as thoraco mammary approach, areola approach, axillary approach, retroauricular approach, combined approach, etc., to traceless body surface skin surgery in recent years, such as natural cavity oral approach. Completed endoscopic surgery makes the incision scar hide or even disappear, which had attracted the attention and learning of thyroid specialist clinicians all over the world. The choice of patients was more and more broad and diverse, and all kinds of approaches had different advantages and disadvantages.Conclusions The advantages, disadvantages, indications and contraindications of various endoscopic approaches are different. According to the location differences of individual thyroid masses and the requirements for aesthetics, the most appropriate endoscopic thyroid approach is selected to achieve the optimal solution of manual approach.
ObjectiveTo investigate the voice function before and after surgery in patients undergoing axillary thyroidectomy with da Vinci robotic Xi system. MethodsSeventy female patients who underwent robotic thyroid cancer radical resection in Panzhihua Central Hospital from March 2022 to March 2023 were selected. The voice dysfunction index scale VHI-10, auditory perception evaluation scale GRBAS and voice analysis software were used to evaluate the voice function of patients subjectively and objectively at 1 day before operation, 1 week and 3 months after surgery. ResultsThe operative time was (128.13±48.36) min, the amount of blood loss was (16.36±8.23) mL. There were no significant differences in the points of function, physiology and emotion evaluated by VHI-10 scale at 1 week and 3 months after operation compared with those before operation (P>0.05). There were no significant differences in the three characteristics points of voice roughness, breathiness, and strain evaluated by GRBAS scale at 1 week and 3 months after operation (P>0.05). At 1 week after operation, the total hoarseness grade and asthenia evaluated by GRBAS scale were increased in different degrees as compared with those before operation and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05), while the total hoarseness grade and asthenia points were decreased at 3 months after operation and there was no significant difference as compared with that before operation (P>0.05). Voice acoustic analysis results showed that there were no significant differences in fundamental frequency, jitter, shimmer and harmonic to noise ratio of the patients between at 1 week or 3 months after operation and before operation (P>0.05). The maximum phonation time (MPT) of patients was decreased at 1 week after operation as compared with that before operation, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The MPT of the patients recovered at 3 months after operation, and there was no significant difference as compared with that before operation (P>0.05). The dysphonia severity index (DSI) of patients at 1 week after surgery was decreased as compared with that before surgery, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The DSI was increased at 3 months after operation and there was no significant difference as compared with that before operation (P>0.05). ConclusionRobot radical thyroidectomy via axillary breast is safe and can protect the voice function.
ObjectiveTo investigate the safety and feasibility of domestic MP1000 robotic surgical system assisted thyroidectomy via submaxillary approach in porcine animal model. MethodThe thyroidectomy process assisted by the MP1000 robotic surgical system via submaxillary approach for a Bama pig in the 960th Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force was retrospectively analyzed. ResultsThe operation was performed as planned programme using the MP1000 robotic surgical system without opening, adding or lengthening the surgical incision. There was no mechanical problems during the MP1000 robotic surgical operation. The operative time was 53 min and the estimated intraoperative blood loss was 10 mL. There was no shaking of instruments and robotic arm during the operation, and the 3 surgical instruments cooperated skillfully, the establishment of surgical operation space successfully was completed, the thyroid blood vessels accurately and finely was dissected, and the separation, coagulation and cutting of blood vessels were smoothly completed. The recurrent laryngeal nerve and parathyroid gland were delicately dissected and protected. The carotid sheath, trachea, esophagus, and other important organs around the thyroid did not be damaged. The master-slave mapping frequency was high, and there was no delay sense during the operation. The lens resolution of MP1000 was 1 920×1 080, the surgical field of vision was clear, no visual field was defected and the visual field was stable and not shaking, light source front and intelligent adaptive temperature control system reduced the fogging of the lens, and the lens was scoured for 4 times during the operation. ConclusionAccording to the preliminary results of the experimental animal in this study, MP1000 robotic surgical system can successfully complete thyroidectomy via submaxillary approach in porcine animal model.