About

Hong Kyu Kim is a pioneering surgical oncologist whose career has been defined by a singular focus: transforming how thyroid cancer is treated through minimally invasive, scar-free robotic surgery. Working primarily with patients diagnosed with papillary thyroid carcinoma, Kim has become one of the world's foremost authorities on transoral robotic thyroidectomy (TORT) — a revolutionary technique that removes the thyroid gland through the mouth, eliminating visible neck scarring entirely. Kim's most cited work, a landmark 2018 study documenting perioperative outcomes across 100 consecutive TORT patients (74 citations), helped establish the procedure's safety and feasibility at scale. His subsequent research methodically expanded this evidence base, comparing TORT against established alternatives such as the bilateral axillo-breast approach (69 citations) and conventional open thyroidectomy (40 citations), while also demonstrating that factors like obesity need not disqualify patients from the procedure. By 2020, Kim had documented outcomes for 200 consecutive TORT cases at a single institution, cementing his center's status as a global reference point for the technique. With over 320 cumulative citations, Kim's body of work has meaningfully shaped modern thyroid surgical practice, offering patients — particularly those with strong cosmetic concerns — a compelling alternative to traditional approaches without compromising oncological outcomes.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

10
H-Index
13
Papers
328
Total Citations
25
Avg Citations/Paper
🏆 Most Cited Paper
Transoral Robotic Thyroidectomy for Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma: Perioperative Outcomes of 100 Consecutive Patients
74 citations · 2018
📈 Most Prolific Year: 2019 (4 Papers)
🤝 Key Collaborators: 32
🏛 Institutions: Korea University Medical Center, Korea University, University of Messina, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University

Top Papers

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Key Collaborators

Contact & Links

Available for collaboration
Content generated · 14 days ago