Lessons learned from the first 50 thyroidectomies with Harmonic Focus Curved Shears - technical note.

Precise and safe hemostasis is necessary for successful thyroid surgery. In this respect, the advent of the ultrasonic surgical device Harmonic Focus Curved Shears (HFCS) from Ethicon Endo-Surgery constituted a major progress in the domain by its multiple capabilities of dissection, grasping, vessel sealing and transecting. The paper presents the initial experience of 50 cases with this device of a surgical team with special interest in endocrine surgery, mostly thyroid and parathyroid. The thyroid conditions for which surgery was indicated were: diffuse toxic goiter in 8 patients; multinodular toxic and nontoxic goiter in 30 patients; autonomous nodule in 2 patients; 2 patients with benign nodules at fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB); 4 patients with nodules positive for carcinoma at FNAB, among them 2 with unilateral cervical lymph nodes enlargement; 4 patients with highly suspect nodule on FNAB. The types of surgery performed were 4 hemithyroidectomies and 46 total thyroidectomies, 2 in association with unilateral functional neck dissections. We had 4 intraoperative hemorrhagic incidents, all in the first 15 cases and imputable to lack of expertise and improper usage of the device. We registered the following noticeable postoperative complications: 1 cervical hematoma from an arteriolar source in sternothyroid muscle demanding prompt reintervention; 8 hypocalcemias and 2 vocal cord paresis, none of which permanent. We remarked several advantages with HFCS: no necessity of changing instruments, fluentness of the intervention and more comfort for the operating team, reduced operating time, safe hemostasis. Some important tips and tricks with the usage of the instrument are presented.

Non-recurrent inferior laryngeal nerve: case report and review of the literature.

Total thyroidectomy is nowadays the operation of choice in the majority of endocrine surgery centers, whether the pathology is benign or malignant. To obtain good results, a thorough knowledge of local anatomy and a profound respect for hemostasis are necessary. Routine, at least visual, identification of the inferior laryngeal nerve (ILN) is considered gold standard and is strongly recommended. Surgeons are generally aware of the variations the nerve can have, especially on the right side. Although very rare, one such variation, with possible great impact on outcomes, is the non-recurrent route of the nerve. We present the case of a middle-aged woman with a multinodular goiter scheduled for elective surgery. During total thyroidectomy, on the right side, we were not able to find the inferior laryngeal nerve in its usual position, using the customary anatomical landmarks. Instead, we encountered it emerging directly from the right vagus nerve, at a rather right angle and entering the larynx as a unique non-bifurcating nerve. Thus, it could be spared from any injury and protected, although it could have been easily confounded with a vascular structure, given its transverse course.We think it is never overmuch to repeat that the routine identification and exposure of the inferior laryngeal nerve is a must for the thyroid surgeon in order to safely preserve its integrity.