Comparison of swallowing disorder following gasless transaxillary endoscopic thyroidectomy versus conventional open thyroidectomy

In conventional open thyroidectomy, it is necessary to create a sub-platysma muscle flap in front of the strap muscle to provide working space. Adhesion between the flap and the strap muscle can occur after the operation, disrupting strap muscle movement and causing a swallowing disorder. Gasless transaxillary endoscopic thyroidectomy approaches the thyroid through the posterior of the strap muscle and does not require a sub-platysma muscle flap. The present study compared flap/muscle adhesion and occurrence of swallowing disorder following gasless transaxillary endoscopic thyroidectomy versus conventional open thyroidectomy. Patients (N = 47) receiving thyroidectomy at the Kangbuk Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea, were divided into two groups: group O (24 patients) underwent conventional open thyroidectomy, and group E (23 patients) underwent gasless transaxillary endoscopic thyroidectomy. The subjective Swallowing Impairment Index (SIS)-6 was used to evaluate the degree of post-operative swallowing disorder. Video recordings of swallowing movement were used to determine the contraction/relaxation (CR) ratio and evaluate adhesion, pre-operation, 3 days post-operation, and 1 month post-operation. Barium videofluoroscopy was used to measure movement of the hyoid bone and strap muscle. Group O had significantly higher post-operative SIS-6 scores than group E (p