Subcutaneous dissection area contributes less to endoscopic thyroidectomy-related invasiveness

Objective To clarify the contribution of the subcutaneous area during breast approach endoscopic thyroidectomy (BAET), with regard to invasiveness-related outcomes. Methods Seventy-two patients were randomly assigned to two groups: standard dissection and limited dissection. Postoperative pain and inflammatory response were compared between groups. Results The groups were well matched except for subcutaneous dissection area ( 137.11 ± 21.10 vs. 83.69 ± 12.10 cm 2 , p < 0.0001). No significant difference was found with regard to VAS score and postoperative inflammatory response. Conclusion Our RCT indicated that the subcutaneous area plays a less important role with regard to BAET-related postoperative pain.