Objective To investigate the value of bipolar coagulation forceps combined with meticulous capsular dissection technique in thyroidectomy. Methods Information of 203 patients with thyroid neoplasms who underwent thyroidectomy in Longyan First Hospital from January 2014 to July 2015, were collected retrospectively. Patients were divide into control group (98 patients who had received conventional thyroidectomy) and observation group (105 patients who had received bipolar coagulation forceps combined with meticulous capsular dissection technique in thyroidectomy) according to the surgery type. Then comparison of 2 groups in incidence of recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, temporary hypocalcemia, temporary or permanent hypoparathyroidism, serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) and serum calcium was performed. Results All the operation of 203 patients went smoothly, and no operative death happened. Operation time of control group and observation group showed no obvious difference〔(68.24±16.59) minvs. (64.78±14.20) min,P>0.05〕, but the intraoperative blood loss of control group was more than observation group〔(25.44±8.35) mLvs. (16.58±5.44) mL,P<0.05〕. There were 25 patients suffered from temporary hypocalcemia after operation, including 18 patients in control group and 7 patients in observation group. There were 38 patients suffered from temporary hypoparathyroidism after operation. including 24 patients in control group and 14 patients in observation group. The incidences of temporary hypocalcemia (χ2=6.426,P<0.05) and temporary hypoparathyroidism (χ2=4.147,P<0.05) were both lower in observation group than corresponding index of control group. But no one suffered from permanent hypoparathyroidism. There were 17 patients existent hoarseness in the control group and 14 patients in observation group, but no one had cough caused by superior laryngeal nerve injury of all the patients, and the incidence of hoarseness of 2 groups had no significant difference (χ2=0.637,P>0.05). Conclusions Bipolar coagulation forceps combined with meticulous capsular dissection technique in thyroidectomy could reduce the temporary hypocalcemia and temporary hypoparathyroidism, and provide the better protection to the blood supply of parathyroid. In addition, bipolar coagulation forceps could reduce thermal injury and heighten hemostasis. So, it is worthy to perform bipolar coagulation forceps combined with meticulous capsular dissection technique in thyroidectomy.
Objective To assess clinical value of thyroidectomy by meticulous capsular dissection technique through neck incision approach in treatment of 75 patients with type Ⅰ substernal goiter. Methods The clinical data of 75 patients with type Ⅰ substernal goiter in the Department of General Surgery of the Central Hospital of Xiaogan from April 2013 to April 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. These patients received the surgical resection by the meticulous capsular dissection technique with an ultrasonic scalpel and a bipolar coagulation forcep through neck incision approach. Results There were 12 Hashimoto thyroiditis, 10 thyroid adenoma, 41 nodular goiter, and 12 thyroid carcinoma in the 75 patients with type Ⅰ substernal goiter. Five cases underwent the unilateral total thyroidectomy. Fifty-eight cases underwent the bilateral total thyroidectomy. The bilateral total thyroidectomy plus central lymph node dissection were performed in the 9 patients with thyroid carcinoma, the bilateral total thyroidectomy plus central lymph node dissection plus affected ipsilateral neck lymph node dissection were performed in the 3 patients with thyroid carcinoma. The average operative time was 100 min, the average intraoperative blood loss was 50 mL, the average postoperative hospital stay was 5 d. The rate of parathyroid injury was 2.7% (2/75), the rate of hypocalcemia caused by parathyroid injury was 2.7% (2/75). There were 3 cases (4.0%) of unilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, 1 case (1.3%) of the outer branch of the upper laryngeal nerve injury. There were 2 cases of tracheal partial softening in the 75 patients. None of postoperative bleeding and seroma happened. No death and the tumor recurrence and metastasis of patients happened during follow-up period. Conclusions Preliminary results in this study show that operation of meticulous capsular dissection technique with an ultrasonic scalpel and a bipolar coagulation forcep through neck incision approach in treatment of type Ⅰ substernal goiter is safe and feasible, it could effectively reduce postoperative complications of thyroidectomy, and protect parathyroid and it’s function, recurrent laryngeal nerve, and superior laryngeal nerve.