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In this note we describe the standard technical maneuver used in our department to protect the skin during thyroidectomy in order to get the best aesthetic result. We use surgical gloves to protect the skin during these operations to reduce the negative impact of thermal trauma and mechanical retractors and energy delivery devices at the edges of the skin incised. This practice is effective, inexpensive, rapid, reproducible and showed no complication in our experience of over 2,500 thyroidectomies.

Objective: To evaluate the characteristics of thyroid carcinoma cases treated at a reference hospital for cancer between 2008 and 2010.Methods: we studied 807 cases and analyzed the following clinicopathologic variables: symptoms, risk factors, diagnostic tests, staging, histological type, treatment performed and complications.Results: Females were more affected, with 660 cases (82%). The average age at diagnosis was 44.5 years. Prior exposure to ionizing radiation was reported by 22 (3%) patients, a family history of thyroid cancer by 89 (11%), and 289 (36%) individuals reported other types of cancer in the family. The fine needle aspiration biopsy was the main parameter for surgical indication and was suggestive of carcinoma in 463 patients (57%). Papillary carcinoma was the most common histological type, with 780 cases (96.6%). There were 728 (90%) total thyroidectomies, 43 (5.3%) reoperations or partial thyroidectomies followed by totalization, 23 (2.8%) extended thyroidectomies and only 13 (1.6%) partial thyroidectomies (lobectomy with isthmectomy). Neck dissection associated with thyroidectomy was done in 158 patients (19.5%). We observed a predominance of tumors classified as T1 in 602 (74.6%) patients. Transient hypocalcemia was the most frequent complication.Conclusion: The results show that the worldwide increase in the incidence of thyroid cancer has changed the profile of patients seen at a referral service. In addition, there were changes in the type of surgical treatment used, with increased use of total thyroidectomy in relation to partial and subtotal ones, and decreased use of elective neck dissections.

ABSTRACT Objective: to evaluate the thickness of the gastric wall at the time of intra gastric balloon (IGB) placement, at the time of its withdrawal and one month after withdrawal. Methods: fifteen morbidly obese patients underwent the introduction of IGB under general anesthesia. In all patients, there was infusion of 500ml of distilled water in the balloon for the test. Measurements of the thickness of the gastric wall were made in the antrum, body and proximal body, using a radial echoendoscope with a frequency of 12MHz and maximum zoom, and its own balloon inflated with 5ml of distilled water. Results: the presence of IGB led to increased wall thickness of the gastric body by expanding the muscle layer. These changes were apparently transient, since 30 days after the balloon withdrawal there was a tendency to return of the wall thickness values observed before the balloon insertion. Conclusion: the use of intragastric balloon for the treatment of obesity determines transient increase in the wall thickness of the gastric body caused by expanded muscle layer.