About 250,000 thyroidectomies and parathyroidectomies occur each year in the United States. Most thyroid and parathyroid surgeries use a front-of-the-neck approach. These operations treat thyroid enlargement, nodules, cancer, and parathyroid masses. While safe and effective, they often leave a visible neck scar that many patients dislike.
To avoid this scar, surgeons introduced transoral endocrine surgery (TES) in 2011. The first U.S. procedure occurred in April 2016. Since then, over 300 transoral operations have been performed in the country. The technique uses the upper lip, also known as the “endoscopic vestibular approach.”
So far, results show TES offers similar safety to conventional surgery regarding nerve injury, hypoparathyroidism, and infection. Based on standard eligibility criteria, studies show that 56% of thyroid or parathyroid surgery patients qualify for TES.
The most common qualifying conditions are thyroid nodules (76%) and parathyroid adenomas (58%). TES could be suitable for hundreds of thousands of people each year. Still, the current findings must be validated before the approach becomes widespread.
References:
- Grogan RH, Suh I, Chomsky-Higgins K, et al. Patient eligibility for transoral endocrine surgery procedures in the United States. JAMA Netw Open. 2019;2(5):e194829.
- Dionigi G, Chai YJ, Tufano RP, Anuwong A, Kim HY. Transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy via a vestibular approach: why and how? Endocrine. 2018;59:275-279
About Dr. Gerti Tashko, MD
Dr. Gerti Tashko, MD, is a board-certified endocrinologist based in Montgomery County, Maryland. He is uniquely certified in endocrinology, lipidology, hypertension, and obesity medicine. His practice offers comprehensive, root-cause-focused metabolic and endocrine care, available both virtually and in person. He uses advanced diagnostics, personalized nutrition, and preventive medicine to optimize long-term health outcomes.
