Comparison of Outcomes of Microscopic Versus Conventional Thyroidectomy
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51985/Keywords:
Thyroidectomy, microscopic thyroidectomy, laryngeal nerve palsy recurrentAbstract
Objectives: To compare the outcomes of microscopic versus conventional thyroidectomy.
Study design & settings: Randomized controlled trial from 16th December 2025 to 15th March 2026 at ENT Department at Sheikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore.
Methodology: This Randomized controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT07488858) involved 74 patients who underwent thyroidectomies at the age of 18 and 65 years. The patients were split into microscopic thyroidectomy (n = 37) and conventional thyroidectomy group (n = 37). EBSLN palsy, RLN palsy, transient and persistent hypocalcemia were categorical variables whereas operation time, and intraoperative blood loss were continuous. The SPSS version 26 was used to analyze the data. The independent t-test was used to compare the continuous variables and the categorical variables were compared with the chi-square test or the Fisher exact test. A p-value of =0.05 was regarded as significant.
Results: The mean time of operation of the MT group was 92.6 ± 15.4 minutes and the CT group was 78.9 ± 14.7 minutes. The intraoperative mean blood loss of the MT group was however significantly less than that of the CT group (52.3 ± 18.6 mL vs., 84.7 ± 25.1 mL). Transient RLN palsy was also seen in 5.4% of patients in the MT group, as compared to 13.5% in the CT group, and only persistent RLN palsy occurred in 2.7% patients in the CT group.
Conclusion: Even though technique was slightly slower than conventional thyroidectomy, intraoperative blood loss and postoperative complications were also reduced substantially by microscopic thyroidectomy
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