• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.137-141
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• 2006

Purpose : It has been generally accepted that lobectomy is a standard surgical procedure in treatment of benign thyroid nodules. However lobectomy may cause postoperative hypothyroidism. Most of surgeons believe that nodulectomy has its limitation in treatment of thyroid nodules due to recurrence of nodules and presence of cancer. The current study attempts to determine whether nodulectomy is justified in aspects of preservation of thyroid function, risk of recurrence and complications. Methods: Data was collected retrospectively on 74 patients undergoing thyroidectomy(single nodulectomy, n=43;bilateral nodulectomies, n=9;lobectomy with nodulectomy, n=22) for benign thyroid nodules from 1999 to 2004. All patients were evaluated for complication, postoperative thyroid function, and recurrence of benign nodule and cancer were followed by regular ultrasonographic examination for 2-6 years. Results : The pathologic results of 74 patients were nodular hyperplasia(55 patients), Hashimoto's thyroiditis(8 patients), follicular adenoma(7 patients) and papillary carcinoma(4 patients). Average operation time was 30 minutes from skin incision to specimen out. In postoperative follow-up of 70 patients, six cases(8.5%) became mild hypothyroid, and ultrasonographically detected micronodule was also six cases(8.5%). There were no other complications. Conclusion : Thyroid nodulectomy appears to have advantages of relatively few complication and simple procedure with no access to laryngeal nerves. Therefore, it may be one of treatment options in selected cases of benign thyroid nodules.

• 대한두경부종양학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.263-263
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• 2004

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.286-287
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• 2001

A 44 year-old male patient was undergoing diagnosis and therapy for acute myelogenous leukemia (AML, M2). On physical examination a thyroid mass was palpated in the left lower lobe. He had palpitation and intolerance to heat. Thyroid function tests revealed hyperthyroidism; T3: 150ng/dl (N:60-90), fT4: 2.26 ng/dl (N:0.70-1.80), TSH: 0.01 ulU/ml (N:0.25-5.00). Ultrasonography demonstrated a hypoechoic mass with scattered calcifications measuring 2.55 2.03 3.64 cm in size. F-18 FDG camera-based PET scan performed as a follow-up study of AML revealed a focal increased uptake in the left neck, where an autonomous nodule was detected on Tc-99m thyroid scan. After the diagnosis of toxic autonomous nodule, Goetz disease, he underwent surgical nodulectomy. Microscopically, the nodule contained follicular proliferation with degenerative change but without evidence of thyroid carcinoma. Focal uptake in autonomous thyroid nodules is due to increased glycolysis within the nodules.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.32-36
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• 2007

Background and Objective：A post-operative hypertrophic scar of the anterior neck is the leading complaint of the patients who underwent conventional thyroid surgery. In order to minimize the post-operative scar of the anterior neck, we performed thyroidectomy via axillary approach using operating microscope and a specialized retractor to determine technical feasibility. Patients and Methods：From January 2005 to December 2006, we performed thyroidectomy via axillary approach under operating microscope(f=400mm, ${\times}2.5$；OPMI $pico^{(R)}$；Zeiss, Germany) for benign unilateral nodule in 25 cases(all female, average age 34.5yrs). Under general anesthesia less than 7cm of skin incision was made in the axilla of ipsilateral side. A subcutaneous tunnel went over the pectoralis major muscle and the clavicle, and then through the sternocleidomastoid muscle and sternothyroid muscle was excised. The area around the thyroid was sufficiently dissected, and then a retractor designed for exposure via axillary approach was placed within the tunnel and under operating microscope thyroidectomy was performed. Results：There were 17 cases of thyroid nodulectomy and 8 cases of subtotal lobectomy. The mean average operative time was 102.64minutes. Postoperative complications included one case of postoperative bleeding, one case of temporary vocal cord paralysis, two cases of delayed wound healing, two cases of paresthesia of shoulder and arm, and two cases of hypertrophic scar of the axilla. Postoperative histopathology includes 17 cases of adenomatous hyperplasia, six cases of cyst, and two cases of follicular adenoma. For all cases hospitalization period was two days. Conclusion：Thyroidectomy via axillary approach under operating microscope has a good cosmetic advantage without a post-operative scar of the anterior neck. The procedure is simple due to direct vision using operating microscope, easy to identify important structures by magnifying them, and therefore surgical time can be reduced.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.17
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• pp.7457-7461
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• 2015

Some thyroid cancer patients undergone insufficient tumor removal in the primary surgery in China. our aim is to evaluate the impact of dissection of the recurrent laryngeal nerve during a salvage thyroid cancer operation in these patients to prevent nerve injury. Clinical data of 49 enrolled patients who received a salvage thyroid operation were retrospectively reviewed. Primary pathology was thyroid papillary cancer. The initial procedure performed included nodulectomy (20 patients), partial thyroidectomy (19 patients) and subtotal thyroidectomy (10 patients). The effect of dissection and protection of the recurrent laryngeal nerve and the mechanism of nerve injury were studied. The cervical courses of the recurrent laryngeal nerves were successfully dissected in all cases. Nerves were adherent to or involved by scars in 22 cases. Three were ligated near the place where the nerve entered the larynx, while another three were cut near the intersection of inferior thyroid artery with the recurrent laryngeal nerve. Light hoarseness occurred to four patients without a preoperative voice change. In conclusion, accurate primary diagnosis allows for a sufficient primary operation to be performed, avoiding insufficient tumor removal that requires a secondary surgery. The most important cause of nerve damage resulted from not identifying the recurrent laryngeal nerve during first surgery, and meticulous dissection during salvage surgery was the most efficient method to avoid nerve damage.