Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32420261›Full record

ArticleGland surgery2020

U-shaped strap muscle flap for difficult thyroid surgery.

How-Yun Ko, I-Cheng Lu, Pi-Ying Chang, Ling-Feng Wang, Che-Wei Wu, Wing-Hei Viola Yu, Tzer Zen Hwang, Chien Chung Wang, Tzu-Yen Huang, Feng-Yu Chiang

Open access · diamondAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Gland surgery, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
0.6field-weighted citation impact, top 32% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 4 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Balancing hemostasis and function: the impact of hemostatic materials on voice and swallowing outcomes in nerve-preserved thyroidectomy.European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2026
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  2. Article
  3. The impact of 4DryField PH on hemostasis and postoperative drain placement in thyroid surgery.European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

How-Yun KoDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
I-Cheng LuFaculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Pi-Ying ChangDepartment of Anesthesiology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Ling-Feng WangDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Che-Wei WuDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Wing-Hei Viola YuDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Tzer Zen HwangSchool of Medicine, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Chien Chung WangDepartment of Otolaryngology, E-Da Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Tzu-Yen HuangDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Feng-Yu ChiangSchool of Medicine, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Kaohsiung Medical University · TWKaohsiung Medical University Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital · TWE-Da Hospital · TWI-Shou University · TW

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundOpen thyroidectomy via conventional midline approach can be challenging in complex thyroid surgeries. This study proposes a U-shaped strap muscle flap (USMF) technique that provides adequately wide exposure of the surgical field.

methodsStrap muscles were cut close to the clavicle and along the anterior margin of both sternocleidomastoid muscles followed by total thyroidectomy in 20 patients as USMF group, and surgical outcomes were compared with 40 patients who had received total thyroidectomy via midline approach.

resultsNo patient had postoperative hematoma, vocal cord paralysis, permanent hypocalcaemia, wound infection or flap necrosis. At 2 months post-surgery, objective voice analysis and subjective assessment of voice and swallowing showed no significant difference between groups.

conclusionsUSMF provides superb surgical field exposure, and the voice and swallowing functions after USMF are comparable to those obtained by midline approach. The USMF approach is a feasible option for selective difficult thyroid surgery.

Indexed as

swallowingthyroidthyroidectomyU-shaped strap muscle flap (USMF)voice

Identifiers

PMID32420261
PMCPMC7225498
OpenAlexW3015280316

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.