Application and evaluation of endoscopic technique in the surgical treatment of thyroid nodules    FAN Lin-jun. Breast Disease Center, Southwest Hospital, the Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China                                                                                                                    Abstract    Thyroid nodules are common in clinical practice. Majority of patients with thyroid nodules need surgical treatment in order to remove the focus or to acquire a final diagnosis. The postoperative cervical appearance could be improved with the application of endoscopic technique in thyroid surgery. With the improvement of the
operative technique, almost all types of thyroidectomy could be completed under endoscope. Endoscopic subtotal thyroidectomy is the most common method in the treatment of thyroid nodules. The common approaches of endoscope include video-assisted thyroidectomy via cervical small incision and total endoscope thyroidectomy via breast approach or axillary approach. Comparing with the total thyroidectomy, endoscopic near-total thyroidectomy for low risk differentiated thyroid carcinoma could get better safety, lower incidence of recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis and the same therapeutic effect. But the clearance of cervical lymph nodes is still controversial. On account of its remarkably cosmetic advantages, endoscopic operation has become the preferred method for the treatment of thyroid nodules.