New Thyroid Surgery Leaves No Visible Scars

Diseases pertaining to thyroid glands are on a rise in India. Conventional thyroid surgery leaves a 4-6 cm scar on the front side of the neck that often impacts the confidence level of an individual. This has been a matter of concern for a lot of patients suffering from thyroid problems.

Over the past two decades, various endoscopic techniques have been developed to address the issue, most of which involve removing the thyroid via incisions in the armpit, the breast or the back of the neck. But these procedures too leaves scars on the place of operation. An additional problem with the armpit and other approach is the considerable distance of these sites from the thyroid gland and that often leads to complications such as damage to the nerves or persistent pain.

Apollo Hospitals in Hyderabad recently has addressed this issue by performing the first scar less thyroid surgery called ‘Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy’. Performed by Dr Siddhartha Chakravarthy, Consultant Endocrine SurgeonApollo Hospitals, the procedure involved an advanced process in which the thyroid nodule or gland is removed through a small incision in the inner surface of the lower lip. One of the few experts in this sort of thyroid procedure, Siddhartha is the first endocrine surgeon in the state of Telangana who has performed more than 600 thyroidectomies via the traditional approach and is instrumental in popularising this scar-less technique in CMC Hospital, Vellore. He underwent training with Dr Angkoon Anuwong, a pioneer in this method in the world.

The best part about this incision is that it completely disappears in three months. The opening is very close to the thyroid and takes a direct route to the gland. Besides the cosmetic benefits, when performed by expert surgeons, the procedure is also as safe as other traditional thyroid surgeries as reported by an in-depth study published in JAMA Surgery. Transoral thyroidectomies also cause less bleeding and ensure speedy recovery. “This technique is becoming popular by the day. This can be a game changer in situations where patients avoid surgery fearing social stigma,” says Dr Siddhartha.

Apollo hospitals excelled and maintained leadership continuously in medical innovation, world-class clinical services and cutting-edge technology. The Hospitals are consistently ranked amongst the best hospitals globally for advanced medical services and research.

The Hospitals also offer medical business process outsourcing services, health insurance services and clinical research divisions with a focus on epidemiological studies, stem cell research and genetic research. To develop talent for the burgeoning need of superior healthcare delivery, Apollo Hospitals Group has 11 nursing and hospital management colleges.

Dr Siddhartha Chakravarthy

MBBS, MS (General Surgery),

MCh (Endocrine Surgery CMC Vellore)