A comparative study on the efficacy of transoral vestibular approach, via bilateral areola approach endoscopic and open thyroidectomy on stage T1b papillary thyroid carcinoma

Abstract

Objective: To compare the surgical efficacy and cosmetic satisfaction of the transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy by vestibular approach (TOETVA), endoscopic thyroidectomy via bilateral areola approach (BAA), and open thyroidectomy (OT) in the treatment of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) in stage T1b. Methods: A total of 178 patients with PTC in stages pT1bN0M0 and pT1bN1aM0 treated from January 2017 to December 2018 were divided into TOETVA group (n=59), BAA group (n=43), and OT group (n=76). The baseline characteristics, relevant indexes of surgical efficacy and follow-up data were compared between the three groups, and also the surgical efficacy indexes were compared between unilateral lobectomy + central lymph node dissection (unilateral lobectomy subgroup) and bilateral lobectomy + central lymph nodes dissection (total resection subgroup). SPSS 19.0 statistical software was used for data analysis. Results: The mean ages of patients in TOETVA group and BAA group were significantly younger than those in OT group, and the proportion of women in TOETVA group and BAA group was significantly higher than that in OT group, all P<0.05. None of patients in TOETVA and BAA groups were converted to open surgery. Among TOETVA, BAA and OT groups, there were significant differences in the mean operation time [unilateral lobectomy subgroup: (198.0±45.2) min, (162.0±36.9) min and (79.4±28.6) min, P<0.05; total resection subgroup: (230.0±36.0) min, (219.8±68.1) min and (102.8±40.0) min, P<0.05], in total drainage volume [unilateral lobectomy subgroup: (195.0±55.6) ml, (178.1±50.4) ml and (127.0±30.1) ml, P<0.05; total resection subgroup: (221.1±46.7) ml, (245.3±71.2) ml and (137.7±41.6) ml, P<0.05], and the incidence of subcutaneous ecchymosis in TOETVA group or BAA group was higher than that in the OT group [5.1% (3/59), 11.6% (5/43) vs. 0, χ(2)=3.952 and 9.225 respectively, both P<0.05]. The mean level of C-reactive protein in TOETVA group was higher than that in OT group [(16.8±10.7) vs. (9.5±6.9), P<0.05]. Following-up in the third month after surgery between three groups in cosmetic satisfaction scores [(2.7±0.5) vs. (2.6±0.7) vs. (1.7±0.8)], scar self-consciousness scores (0[0,1] vs. 1[0,2] vs. 2[1,2]), and quality of life scores [(9.1±1.1) vs. (8.9±1.1) vs. (7.5±0.8)], cosmetic satisfaction and quality of life in TOETVA and BAA group were better than that in OT group, in terms of scar self-consciousness: TOETVA<BAA<OT (all P<0.05). But there were no significant differences in the levels of Tg or TgAb between three groups for total resection subgroup (all P>0.05). The median follow-up time of the three groups was 25 months (TOETVA group), 28 months (BAA group), and 32 months (OT group) respectively, without disease progression. Conclusion: TOETVA and BAA are optional surgical methods for PTC in stages pT1bN0M0 and pT1bN1aM0, with good safety and patient's cosmetic satisfaction.