Abstract
Objectives:
1) Identify and quantify changes in length of the skin incision following minimally invasive thyroid and parathyroid surgery. 2) Determine whether these changes persist on follow-up.
Methods:
Preliminary analysis of this ongoing prospective study is presented. Patients undergoing open minimally invasive thyroidectomy (open cervical approach through an incision <6 cm) and parathyroidectomy (incision <3 cm) were included. The length of the skin incision was measured at the start and end of each operation, and on postoperative follow-up.
Results:
Data from 27 patients are available. Initial incision lengths ranged from 2 to 6 cm. The skin incisions on average lengthened by 3.9 mm during the surgery (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.6 to 5.0 mm), representing an average intraoperative stretch of 10.3%, P = 0.00. The lengths of the incision remained stable on 2-week follow-up. 6 of the 27 patients have returned 10 weeks following surgery. The lengths of the incisions have reduced by 4.8 mm on average from the 2-week to the 10-week measurement (95% CI -3.3 to -6.3 mm, P = 0.00).
Conclusions:
Preliminary data suggest the skin incision stretches during minimally invasive thyroid and parathyroid surgery. Based on available follow-up data, the increase in incision length does not appear to be permanent.
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