• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.5-10
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• 1996

From October 1991 to June 1995, 4 medialization thyroplasties and I arytenoid adduction were simultaneously performed with the thyroid surgery when the unilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve was paralyzed before or during thyroidectomy. Four cases were papillary carcinoma with direct invasion to the unilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve, and one case was huge adenomatous goiter and the recurrent laryngeal nerve was incidentaly cut. Hoarseness was present preoperatively with mean duration of 15 months and aspiration was also present in three cases. After phonosurgery, voice was improved in 4 out of 5 cases and aspiration subsided in 2 out of 3 cases. In one case, hoarseness continued after total thyroidectomy and thyroplasty type I and the arytenoid adduction with planned due to posterior glottic gap of 2mm. We suggest that the thyroplasty type I or arytenoid adduction are primary phonosurgical procedures which ran be performed concomitantly with neck surgeries in the patients with paralysis of the unilateral recurrent laryngeal or vagus nerve damage during neck surgeries.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.16-20
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• 2015

Post-thyroidectomy dysphonia occurs very frequently. Causes of dysphonia include recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) or external branch of superior laryngeal nerve (EBSL) injury, intubation, laryngotracheal fixation and other causes. Patients commonly characterized hoarseness or their voice impairment inability to short or sing and loss of loudness. Although complete recovery can be expected mostly in 3 months without obvious nerve injury, dysphonia lowers patients quality of life. The present review discuss the very kinds of causes of post-thyroidectomy dysphonia.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.45-49
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• 2022

Post-thyroidectomy syndrome refers to various voice changes experienced after the thyroid surgery. Among them, surgery or injection therapy has been prioritized over voice therapy for the bilateral vocal cord paralysis. However, if it is possible to determine whether voice therapy can be applied first, a faster treatment recovery will be possible. In this study, voice therapy was performed on a 59-year-old female patient with bilateral vocal cord paralysis after total thyroidectomy. This study is to presents the criteria for applying the voice therapy first for bilateral vocal folds paralysis and to share successful voice therapy sessions.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.575-581
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• 2016

Background Open thyroidectomy is conventionally performed at the anterior side of neck, which is a body part with a comparatively great degree of open exposure; due to this, postoperative scarring may cause distress in patients. We aimed to compare the effects of ablative and nonablative fractional laser treatments on thyroidectomy scars. We examined medical records in a retrospective manner and analyzed scars based on their digital images by using the modified Manchester Scar Scale (mMSS). Methods Between February 2012 and May 2013, 55 patients with thyroidectomy scars were treated with ablative (34 patients) or nonablative (21 patients) fractional laser. Each patient underwent 4 laser treatment sessions in 3-4 week intervals, 1-2 months postoperatively. Scar improvement was assessed using patient images and the mMSS scale. Results The mean decrease in scar score was 3.91 and 3.47 in the ablative and nonablative groups, respectively; the reduction between 2 groups did not exhibit any significant difference (P=0.16). We used the scale once again to individually evaluate scar attributes. The nonablative group accounted for a considerably higher color score value (P=0.03); the ablative group accounted for a considerably higher contour score value (P<0.01). Patient satisfaction was high and no complications occurred. Conclusions Both types of fractional laser treatments can be used successfully for thyroidectomy scar treatment with minimal complications; however, results indicate that higher effectiveness may be obtained from the use of ablative and nonablative lasers for hypertrophic scars and early erythematous scars, respectively. Therefore, the appropriate laser for scar treatment should be selected according to its specific characteristics.

• 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.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.9-17
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• 1995

This study was retrospectively reviewed and analysis of postoperative local complication on all patient undergoing thyroid operation of 242 cases of thyroid disease, at Department of General Surgery, Chosun University Hospital from January 1988 to December 1992. The result were follow: Postoperative local complication are as follow; 52 cases of transient hypocalcemia, 7 cases of thansient hoarseness, 3 cases of permanent hypocalcemia, 2 cases of permanent hoarseness, and other local complication were postoperative bleeding with airway obstraction, hematoma, infection. In pathologic classification according to complicative patients; The most common frequency of complication in benign disease was Graves' disease with 13 cases(54.2%), and the most frequency of complication in malignance disease was follicalar adenocarcinoma with 7 cases(53.9%). The frequency of complication according to operation procedure were unilateral lobectomy in 31 cases(19.9%), subtotal thyroidectomy in 15 cases(39.5%), near total thyroidectomy in 12 cases (44.4%), and total thyroidectomy in 10 cases(55.6%). There was a significant relationship between extent of operative procedure and frequency of complication. The incidence of local complication after thyroid resection was 57 of 196(29.1%) in the benign disease that was 15 of 26(57.7 %) in the intrathyroidal carcinoma and 13 of 20(65.0%) in the extrathyroidal carcinoma. There was significant different in frequency of local complication according to invasion and malignance of pathologic lesion. The most frequent complication after thyroid resection is transient hypocalcemia ; 39 of 196(19.9%) in the benign disease, 7 of 26(26.9%) in the intrathyroida1 carcinoma, and 6 of 10(30.0%) in the extrathyroidal carcinoma. Their complication rate increased in direct relationship to the invasion and malignance of pathologic lesion, but there was no statistically significant. Transient hypocalcemia was encountered in 52 cases of the total 242 patient(21.9%) ; 29 of 156(18.6%) after unilateral lobectomy, 9 of 38(23.7%) after subtotal thyroidectomy, and 5 of 18(27.8 %) after total thyroidectomy. The relation ship between temporal hypocalcemia and the extent of surgery was not statistically significant.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.814-821
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• 2018

Thyroid cancer is one of the most common cancers in Korea, and thyroidectomy is the first-line treatment. Hypoparathyroidism is a common complication of thyroidectomy and can cause symptoms such as numbness, spasm, and anxiety, but these issues have seldom been reported in the Korean medical literature. The present case was a 53-year-old thyroid cancer patient who complained of numbness caused by hypoparathyroidism, general weakness, fatigue, and postoperative pain after total thyroidectomy. The patient was treated with Korean medicine treatment, including herbal medicine, acupuncture, cupping, and moxibustion, and her changes in clinical symptoms were measured with a numeric rating scale (NRS), the Karnofsky performance status scale (KPS), and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30). After treatment, her clinical symptoms were improved, leading to an improvement in her quality of life. Therefore, Korean medicine may be effective in the treatment of thyroid cancer patients who experience numbness caused by hypoparathyroidism, general weakness and fatigue after total thyroidectomy.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.60-64
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• 2002

Objectives: Three classic treatment modalities have been used to treat Graves' disease: antithyroid medication, radioiodine ablation, and subtotal thyroidectomy. Postoperative thyroid functions were studied in patients with Graves' disease treated by subtotal thyroidectomy to evaluate the superiority of surgical treatment. Materials and Methods: One hundred fourty patients of Graves' disease were analysed retrospectively in follow-up for more than three years following subtotal thyroidectomy. Postoperative serum levels of $T_3,\;T_4, TSH, TSH-R Ab, free $T_4$, were evaluated to watch hypo- or hyperthyroidsm. Results: In the evaluation of preop- and postoperative thyroid function after three years of subtotal thyroidectomy, $T_3$ was changed from $464.10{\pm}196.16ng/dl$ to $140.41{\pm}76.56ng/dl$ in mean value, $T_4$ was changed from $20.76{\pm}7.98{\mu}g/dl$ to $9.54{\pm}4.02{\mu}g/dl$, $TSHT_3$ was changed from $0.55{\pm}4.42{\mu}u/ml$ to $4.96{\pm}7.20{\mu}u/ml$, TSH-R Ab was changed from $41.6{\pm}28.27%$ to $28.7{\pm}28.79%$ and free $T_4$ was changed from $4.45{\pm}2.33ng/dl$ to $1.44{\pm}0.69ng/dl$ in mean value. Euthyroidism was noted in 118 patients(84.3%), overt hyperthyroidism in 6 patiens(4.3%), latent hyperthyroidism in 8 patients(5.7%), overt hypothyroidism in 2 patint(1.4%), and latent hypothyroidism in 6 patients(4.3%). Of surgical complications, permanant hypoparathyroidism was found in one patient, recurrent laryngeal nerve injury in two patients, postoprative bleeding with reoperation in two patients, and death in one patient. Conclusion: The thyroid function after subtotal thyroidectomy in diffuse toxic goiter is normal level (euthyroidism) in 84.3% and low recurrence rate of hyperthyroidism is showed with rare surgical complication. Therefore, subtotal thyroidectomy in diffuse toxic goiter is more effective and safe than RI or longterm ATD treatment, if the operation is performed by skillful surgeon.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.7-11
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• 2016

Background and Objectives: Quality of voice may be deteriorated after thyroidectomy without any injury to recurrent laryngeal nerve. While there have been several studies showing the change of acoustic parameters after thyroidectomy, factors related to deteriorated voice quality have been rarely studies. In this study, we sought to analyze the factors associated to deteriorated voice quality after thyroidectomy. Materials and Methods: We made a retrospective review of 35 patients who underwent thyroidectomy for papillary thyroid carcinoma. Voice analysis including acoustic analysis, voice handicap index 10 (VHI-10), and GRBAS score was conducted before and 3 months after surgery. Patients were grouped according to the amount of increase in VHI-10 after surgery ; group A (${\Delta}VHI<7$) and group B (${\Delta}VHI{\geq}7$). Clinicopathologic factors associated to patients of group B were analyzed and changes of parameters from acoustic analysis in each group were evaluated. Results : Patients of group B were associated with age ${\geq}45$ years (p=0.025) and showed borderline association to total thyroidectomy (p=0.075) and tumor size ${\geq}1cm$ (p=0.086). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that those with age ${\geq}45$ years were independently associated to deteriorated quality of voice (p=0.014, HR=18.38). Patients of group B were also associated to significant deterioration of high pitch (p<0.001) and Grade score with borderline significance (p=0.054). Conclusion: Patients older than 45 years may have higher risk of deterioration of quality of voice after thyroidectomy based on increase of VHI-10 score (${\Delta}VHI{\geq}7$). Association with deterioration of high pitch should also be considered in these patients.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.6985-6991
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• 2015

Purpose: Various new techniques in thyroid surgery have been developed to improve visualization and reduce risk of complications. New approaches for robotic endoscopic thyroidectomy help to prevent neck scarring and improve surgical ergonomics. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy and adventages of an axillo-breast approach (AB group) and an only-axillary approach (OA group) in robotic endoscopic thyroidectomy. Methods: Between November 2008 and July 2014, axillo-breast approach was performed in 128 patients and only-axillary approach was performed in 128 patients for robotic endoscopic thyroidectomy. We compared tumor characteristics, surgical outcomes, and postoperative complications between the two approaches. The homogeneity between two groups of general characteristics was analyzed by independent t-test, fisher's exact test, Chi-square test. Results: There were no differences in terms of tumor characteristics, extent of thyroidectomy, retrieved nodes, and postoperative complications between the two approaches. The patients in OA group can avoid breast scar. Conclusion: Our techniques of AB and OA approaches for robotic endoscopic thyroidectomy are safe, feasible, and cosmetically excellent procedures. Also the OA approach for robotic endoscopic thyroidectomy is an attractive surgical option for patients with thyroid tumor who want an avoid breast scar.