Endocrine Surgery Robotic Thyroidectomy: Pros and Cons of Various Surgical Approaches

Robotic thyroidectomy has been a good option in the treatment of benign and early stage differentiated thyroid cancers, with several functional benefits. In the last few years, many surgeons have established their own robotic thyroidectomy techniques, and published many reports on the feasibility, safety and benefits of their robotic procedures. Although there are many different surgical techniques, robotic thyroidectomy can be classified according to the different means of remote access to the thyroid gland. Each method has advantages and disadvantages, and surgeons have modified each procedure in an effort to eliminate its shortcomings. With the remarkable innovation of robotic instruments and patient selection based on the appropriate indications, robotic thyroidectomy may usher a paradigm shift for thyroid surgery in the near future.