Robotic transaxillary thyroidectomy: state of the art

摘要

Although robot-assisted transaxillary thyroidectomy (RATT) has become a widely used treatment modality for thyroid disease in the Far East, the procedure remains under discussion in Western World (1,2). Different body mass index, anthropometric characteristics, size of tumours, goitre and ethical considerations, combined with elevated cost of the procedure and the need of training, hinder the diffusion of this approach in US and Europe (1,3). To date, RATT, although excellent results in terms of feasibility, oncological safety and patient’s compliance are described, plays a niche role in selected patients with appropriate pathology in high-volume centers (1,4).