Recovery of sensation in the anterior chest area after bilateral axillo-breast approach endoscopic/robotic thyroidectomy

Background: There is concern that endoscopic/robotic thyroidectomy could impair anterior chest skin sensation. Here, this possibility was assessed. PATIENTS AND Methods: Fifty-one patients who underwent bilateral axillo-breast approach endoscopic/robotic thyroidectomy were asked 8 to 115 days (median: 29 d) later to undergo Semmes-Weinstein pressure threshold testing and to complete a questionnaire. Patient clinicopathological details were extracted. Results: Twenty-one patients (41.2%) showed sensory impairment (sum of sensory changes ≥1). The average sum of sensory change (scale of 0 to 95) was 1.4 (range, 0 to 8). Impaired patients did not differ from unimpaired patients in any clinicopathological parameter except for time from operation. Compared with 1 month postsurgery, there was significantly less sensory impairment 3 months postsurgery (P=0.0083). The questionnaires yielded similar observations. Conclusions: The temporary and mild nature of the sensory change in the anterior chest area will relieve surgeons and patients from concerns that bilateral axillo-breast approach endoscopic/robotic thyroidectomy could permanently impair chest sensation.