Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39375200›Full record

SynthesisEuropean 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 Surgery2025

Implication of surgical loupes on complications following thyroidectomy: a meta-analysis.

Karthik N Rao, Mark Zafereo, Advaith N Rao, Iain Nixon, K T Robbins, M P Sreeram, Juan P Rodrigo, Alvaro Sanabria, Manish Mair, Vincent Vander Poorten and 5 more

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisReview
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in 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. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
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

15 authors.

Karthik N RaoDepartment of Head and Neck Oncology, Sri Shanakara Cancer Hospital and Research Center, Bangalore, India. Karthik.nag.rao@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1420-7366
Mark ZafereoDepartment of Head and Neck Surgery, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
Advaith N RaoMedical Student, M S Ramaiah Medical College, Bangalore, India.
Iain NixonDepartment of Surgery and Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Edinburgh University, Edinburgh, EH3 9YL, UK.
K T RobbinsDepartment of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, 62901, USA.
M P SreeramDepartment of Head and Neck Oncology, Sri Shanakara Cancer Hospital and Research Center, Bangalore, India.
Juan P RodrigoDepartment of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias, University of Oviedo, 33011, Oviedo, Spain.
Alvaro SanabriaDepartment of Surgery, Universidad de Antioquia, Hospital Universitario San Vicente Fundación, CEXCA Centro de Excelencia en Enfermedades de Cabeza y Cuello, 1226, Medellin, Colombia.
Manish MairHead and Neck Surgery, University Hospital of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 5WW, UK.
Vincent Vander PoortenOtorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospitals Leuven, Louvain, Belgium.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1341-829X
Orlando Guntinas-LichiusDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Jena University Hospital, 07747, Jena, Germany.
Ohad RonenDepartment of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Galilee Medical Center, Affiliated with Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, Safed, Israel.
Luiz P KowalskiDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, A.C. Camargo Cancer Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sao Paulo, São Paulo, 03828-000, Brazil.
Gregory RandolphDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA, USA.
Alfio FerlitoCoordinator of the International Head and Neck Scientific Group, 35100, Padua, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo determine the effectiveness of surgical loupes in reducing postoperative RLN palsy and hypocalcemia following thyroidectomy. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar databases were searched between 2000 and 2024. REVIEW

methodsStudies were included if they reported at least one complication outcome following thyroidectomy using surgical loupes. The outcome measure was the log odds ratio, with negative log odds indicating results favouring the experimental group. The model utilized the DerSimonian-Laird estimator, and Wald-type tests.

resultsThe qualitative data synthesis included 813 patients from 6 included studies, including 410 patients with surgical loupes and 403 patients without surgical loupes. There was a statistically significant reduction in the rate of temporary RLN palsy in the surgical loupe group log(OR) = - 0.87 [(- 1.58, - 0.15), DL (Dersimonian and Laird method), REM (random effects model), CI (confidence interval) = 95%], or a 41.8% lower probability. The rates of permanent RLN palsy log(OR) =  - 0.31 [(- 1.45, 0.82), DL, REM, CI = 95%], temporary hypocalcemia log(OR) =  - 0.34 [(- 1.25, 0.57), DL, REM, CI = 95%], and permanent hypocalcemia log(OR) =  - 0.85 [(- 2.24, 0.54), DL, REM, CI = 95%] were not statistically significant between the two groups, although there were trends toward decreases in these rates in the loupes group.

conclusionsSurgical loupe use during thyroidectomy can lead to a 41.8% lower probability of temporary RLN palsy compared to operating without loupes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3a.

Indexed as

HypocalcemiaPostoperative ComplicationsRecurrent Laryngeal Nerve InjuriesThyroidectomyVocal Cord ParalysisHumansHypocalcemiaLoupesMagnificationRecurrent laryngeal nerveThyroidectomyThyroid gland

Identifiers

PMID39375200

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.