To evaluate surgical outcomes, feasibility and the effectiveness of robotic thyroidectomy and central with lateral neck dissection for treatment of papillary thyroid carcinoma with diameter larger than 1 cm.

The clinical data of 81 patients of papillary thyroid underwent robotic thyroidectomy and central with lateral neck dissection through axillo-bilateral breast approach in the 960^th Hospital of the People′s Liberation Army of China from Feb. 2014 to Jun. 2018, compared with the 87 cases treated with traditional open surgery (open group). Statistical tests was used to compare the two groups, operating time, blood loss, postoperative drainage volume and hospital stay, visual analogue scale, cosmetic effect, the amount of lymph nodes and postoperative complications.

All patients were diagnosed of papillary thyroid and completed the operation successfully. Compared with the open group, the operating time and postoperative drainage in the robot group were more than that in the open group, and the cosmetic effect was better (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the number of lymph nodes dissected in the central and lateral regions, blood loss, hospital stay, postoperative drainage volume, incidence of complications, and visual analogue score of postoperative pain (P>0.05).

For patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma with tumor diameter larger than 1cm, robotic total thyroidectomy and central with lateral selective neck dissection through bilateral axillo-breast approach has similar surgery safety and feasibility as open procedures, while with better cosmetic effect.

Robotics; Surgical procedures; Thyroid carcinoma; Lymph node dissection