Alternate incision-site thyroidectomy.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Thyroid surgery has evolved throughout the years, from being one of the riskiest surgeries into one of the safest surgical procedures performed today. Recent technologic innovations have allowed surgeons to remove the thyroid gland from a remote site while avoiding visible neck scars. This article aims to provide the reader with an overview of the current alternate-site approaches used and their capability to assist the surgeons in accomplishing remote-access thyroid surgery.

RECENT FINDINGS: There are many described endoscopic approaches for thyroid surgery. The most common cervical approach is the minimally invasive gasless video-assisted cervical technique. The robotic transaxillary, retroauricular, and axillary breast approaches avoid a neck scar and are becoming popular.

SUMMARY: A number of surgeons today have adapted new surgical techniques for thyroid surgery. Even though conventional thyroidectomy remains in the gold standard for thyroidectomy with low morbidity and excellent outcomes, minimally invasive and remote-access techniques have been used in an attempt to avoid visible neck scars without compromising patients' safety and the effectiveness of the procedure.