ArticleInternational journal of surgery (London, England)2026
Association of long-term quality of life, safety, and efficacy: robotic vs. open thyroidectomy for benign thyroid nodules.
Article in International journal of surgery (London, England), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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.
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.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveTo compare the safety, efficacy, and quality of life (QoL) of robotic thyroidectomy (RT) and open thyroidectomy (OT) for benign thyroid nodules.
backgroundTraditional OT lacks aesthetic advantages, while endoscopic thyroidectomy has limitations for larger nodules. Advances in RT provide a minimally invasive option, offering improved aesthetics and efficacy for larger benign thyroid nodules.
methodsThis retrospective cohort study included 1614 benign thyroid nodules patients from 2014 to 2024. Following propensity score matching (1:2 ratio), 1079 patients who underwent OT or RT were analyzed. Postoperative complications were recorded, and patients were assessed using QoL and aesthetic outcome scales.
resultsIn the OT group, 186 patients (25.34%) had inadvertent parathyroid resection vs. none in the RT group ( P < 0.001). Transient hypoparathyroidism affected 129 OT patients (17.57%) vs. 36 RT patients (10.43%), respectively ( P = 0.002). Swallowing Impairment Score and Voice Impairment Score were higher in the OT group after 5 years ( P < 0.001). The RT group showed better "general health" and "vitality" at 0.5-3 years and >5 years, and better "social function," "mental health," and "role emotional" at >5 years ( P < 0.05). Scar lengths were shorter in the RT group at all time points ( P < 0.001), while SCAR-Q appearance scores were higher in the OT group ( P < 0.001).
conclusionRobotic thyroidectomy demonstrated superior cosmetic outcomes, lower complication rates, and minimal impact on postoperative QoL compared to open surgery for benign thyroid nodules, including larger ones. Therefore, with appropriate patient selection, robotic thyroidectomy may be the preferred approach for benign thyroid disease.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.