Robotic modified radical neck dissection by bilateral axillary breast approach for papillary thyroid carcinoma with lateral neck metastasis.

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety of robotic modified radical neck dissection compared to open modified radical neck dissection. METHODS We enrolled 78 patients who were diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer and underwent total thyroidectomy, bilateral central neck dissection, and modified radical neck dissection between March 2011 and February 2013. Of these patients, 65 underwent an open procedure and 13 underwent a robotic procedure using the bilateral axillary breast approach (BABA). These 2 groups were retrospectively compared. RESULTS The mean age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and tumor size were not significantly different between groups. There were no differences in the number of retrieved lymph nodes, metastatic lymph nodes, or stimulated thyroglobulin level between the 2 groups. The operation time was longer in the robotic group than in the open group. CONCLUSION Robotic modified radical neck dissection using BABA is safe and shows oncologic and postoperative outcomes comparable to those of the open procedure.