Three-dimensional versus two-dimensional endoscopic-assisted thyroidectomy via the anterior chest approach: a preliminary report.

Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of three-dimensional (3D) endoscopy for thyroidectomy and compare it to two-dimensional (2D) endoscopy. The major limitations of conventional endoscopy include its lack of depth perception and tactile feedback. The 3D endoscopy technique, which involves 3D imaging, is widely used. However, few reports have described the use of 3D endoscopic systems in thyroid surgery.
Method: In this single-institutional study, 103 consecutive patients who underwent endoscopic thyroidectomy between July 2013 and April 2014 were enrolled. Of these, 32 patients chose 3D endoscopy, and 71 patients chose 2D endoscopy and were used as a control group. All patients were stratified by type of operation.
Result: All 103 patients underwent a successful endoscopic-assisted thyroidectomy with no conversion to open surgery. There were no differences in operation time, intraoperative bleeding, postoperative drainage, the number of lymph nodes (LNs) dissected, major complications, and hospital stays. During a median follow-up of 28.0 months, no patients experienced a recurrence of thyroid cancer.
Conclusion: Our preliminary report demonstrates that 3D endoscopy achieved the same level of safety and effectiveness as 2D endoscopy in endoscopic-assisted thyroidectomies. Additionally, 3D endoscopy provided good depth perception and allowed the surgeon to easily recognize critical anatomical landmarks. Further large-scale studies, preferably prospective randomized control trials, are required to confirm this finding.