Comparison between endoscopic thyroidectomy and conventional open thyroidectomy for papillary thyroid microcarcinoma: A meta-analysis

Background: Endoscopic thyroidectomy (ET) has gained acceptance among surgeons as its feasibility has been well-documented. The aim of this systematic review with meta-analysis has been to assess and validate the safety and feasibility of ET when compared to conventional open thyroidectomy (COT) for papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) and to verify other potential benefits and drawbacks. Materials and Methods: PubMed, Web of Knowledge are searched for studies concerning treatment for papillary thyroid microcarcinoma between 2000 and 2013, the method of meta-analysis is performed to compare the effect of different treatment. Result: Six studies with a total of 1081 patients were included. Primary outcomes include transient recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) palsy, permanent PLN palsy, transient hypocalcemia, permanent hypocalcemia, and overall recurrence. ET experienced a higher incidence of transient RLN palsy than COT. There were no statistically significant differences for the presence of permanent PLN palsy, transient hypocalcemia, and permanent hypocalcemia. Tumor recurrence was detected in the both group, but the difference was not statistically significant. Secondary outcomes include operative time, length of hospitalization, and cosmetic results. Patient satisfactory score significantly favored ET (mean difference [MD] = 1.64, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.85, 1.43], P 0.00001). Operative time was significantly longer in ET (MD = 38.18, 95% CI [22.24, 54.11], P 0.00001). The length of hospitalization was not significantly different in both groups (MD = 0.46, 95% CI = [1.40, 0.47], P = 0.33). Conclusion: For PTMC, ET is a feasible, practical, and safe alternative with better cosmetic benefits, and it can be performed with an ease of manipulation that is similar to that of COT.