Thyroid gland enlargement has been commonly found in Thailand, mostly caused by iodine deficiency and thyroid dysfunction including the thyroid gland grows noticeably as well. A treatment usually begins with the use of hormone medication to press down the thyroid gland enlargement. But most of treatments often end up with surgery in order to remove the one gland or two from both sides. Accordingly, to prevent a transition of cancer and stop a person from being unable to have food or breath. And some cases providing for a beauty.
Development of treatment
There is used to have a surgery since in the past as a traditional open surgery. A surgeon provided transverse collar incision and thyroid cutting including lymph nodes in some cases. Accordingly, scarring on the neck was clearly seen.
During the past 10 years, there was a development of small surgical techniques. Which also have been developing continuously with thyroid surgery through a small camera and a number of body positions such as armpits, breasts, nipples, which a widely used technique in Thailand is thyroid endoscopic surgery through the armpit. But there are many limitations, for instance long distances between armpits to thyroid gland causes the surgery quite difficult. Patients often feel numb in the area between the armpit the neck. And it takes amounts of time to recover the nerves.
Transoral Thyroidectomy
Currently, there is a development of surgical techniques as transoral thyroidectomy in humans. Initiated by a German surgeon in 2012, and later Japanese and Chinese surgeons began to perform this type of surgery with different techniques. In other countries, the technique is not used for a patient treatment. Due to the difference in technical terms.
This surgery is called NOTES (Natural Orifice Trans luminal Endoscopic Surgery), which is operated through the oral. So there is no scar after surgery and NOTES surgery is becoming more popular nowadays. In Thailand, a surgical group of the medical profession from Police general Hospital has provided the first transoral thyroidectomy in Southeast Asia. On the other hand today, Phyathai 3 Hospital specialists are ready to provide thyroid care through the transoral as well includes to provide the first initiative Transoral Thyroidectomy care to all patients in Thonburi area.
The advantages of transoral thyroidectomy
• No surgical scar on the skin, due to there are 3 small wounds with 1 cm, 0.5 cm and 0.5 cm in sizes at the line between the lower gums and lower lip. Then apply a device to cut the thyroid gland inside the mouth. Following by sewing with melted silk. According to there is the oral veins supply. Which makes the wound disappear faster and no fibrosis appearance as well.
• A distance between oral and thyroid is the shortest compared to other surgical operation, which provides an easier operation.
• Provide a surgery only with one specific area.
• It is easier to see recurrent laryngeal nerve ligaments both sides which are parallel placed to the bronchi as that reason why patients do not have hoarse voice after receiving thyroidectomy
• less blood losing.
• Less pain around 2-3 days, patients will not hurt and be able to eat normally.
• Numbness is not found on the skin, between the thyroid area to the chin and mental nerve on the chin is maintained as well.
After surgery, you can start sipping water. And have soft food on the next day. Resting at home for 3-4 days to observe symptoms. If there is no complications or problems. Then you are allowed to go home. After this surgery is not as painful as the open operation. Including there is no sewing process also melted silk can decay itself within 30 days. A person can go back to a regular routine and eat normally. In conclusion, transoral thyroidectomy provides patients a good quality of life and strengthens the patient’s confidence.
Surgeon specializes in thyroid surgery without wounds.
High Tech Center for Advanced Surgery Phyathai 3 Hospital
