Surgeons complete the first scar-free thyroid surgery in Asean
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- A team of Thai surgeons at Bangkok's Police General Hospital have successfully completed the Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy (TET) surgery for the first time in Southeast Asia, following a small number of successful operations in Germany, Japan and China.

The hospital has been developing and improving this innovative technique since April, and there have been 14 patients who have received TET with satisfactory results. This success by the hospital's surgical team set a new standard for thyroid surgery in Thailand.

Sizes of thyroid nodules found in Thai patients range from 3-10cm with an average of 6cm nodules requiring only two hours of operation and a 3-4 day recovery period. The Endoscopic Thyroidectomy technique leaves no scars, and results in substantially lower pain in post-procedure recovery.

Dr Angkoon Anuwong from the hospital's Department of Surgery said: "We are very proud of our successful operations in the field of Transoral Endoscopic Thyroid-ectomy, this being the first time the pioneering procedure has been performed in Southeast Asia.

"This advanced technique has brought improved quality of life and better comfort for patients due to being a faster and less complex process.

Patients can feel 100 per cent confident in safety, efficacy and satisfaction of this procedure."

Angkoon said the surgeons doing TET oeprations started by making a small cut of 1cm on the area between the lower lip and lower gums (Oral Vestibule), and on each side for two further cuts, each 0.5cm in length. High-tech laparoscopes and cutting devices are then used, penetrating through cuts to perform the necessary operation in the throat area.

After, the wounds are stitched with chromic catgut (which dissolves in 30 days). The patient can be moved to a ward after surgery and is able to take sustenance the following day.

Convenient technique

"This technique leaves no scars on the patient's skin," Angkoon said.

"Mouth tissues contain more blood vessels so wounds can recover very soon with no marks remaining on the oral mucosa. TET is considered to be the most convenient way to deal with thyroid glands on both sides simultaneously, causing less pain and less bleeding (not over 10-20cc).

"Patients report that a few days after surgery, they feel no pain whatsoever; it takes only 3-4 days for observation and, if no other complications are present, patients can return home."

Meanwhile, the department can successfully complete minimally invasive surgery techniques in complex operations such as Laparoscopic Bariatric weight loss surgery, Laparoscopic liver resection, and Laparoscopic colorectal surgery.

Its Minimally Invasive Surgery Excellence Centre was also recently set up to provide diagnosis and treatment services, including research projects.

It is expected that the centre will be a leading hub of academics and practice of minimally invasive surgery in the region.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Surgeons-complete-the-first-scar-free-thyroid-surg-30241625.html

-- The Nation 2014-08-24

Well done, in various area's in medicine Thailand excels, you have a good reputation in the exotic viruses and have some great scholars, Onya Thailand.

It is expected that the centre will be a leading hub of academics and practice of minimally invasive surgery in the region

Congrats for the new HUB.....

Wasn't Thailand also a pioneer in microsurgery to re-attach penises that inadvertently became detached.

Wasn't Thailand also a pioneer in microsurgery to re-attach penises that inadvertently became detached.

Wouldn't that be a dick of a job.

...interesting what the article DID NOT STATE...like will MIS(minimally invasive surgery) work with a complete thyroidectomy?

The real pain with getting one's thyroid removed is the post-op hypothyroidism necessary for accurate testing and treatments (RAI-131, etc.)

Google up the horrors of hypothyroidism, very real and not a joke. You do not want to live through this. A patient who has had his/her thyroid removed simply has to stop taking their levothyroxine/synthroid in order to drop like a rock. Sucks like you cannot believe.

I did this 11 times before finding a new endrocrinologist who did "thyrogen assist" testing. Thyrogen is pure TSH and works wonders....my hypothyroid window went from 12 weeks to 1 week. Two injections of thyrogen were $5k USD. Ouch. Used in screening, PET scan and treatment, if req'd.

I've had three major neck surgeries, so yes, am all for MIS. It is a another tool in the surgeon's tool kit, but I would be cautiously reserved. I've been dealing with thyroid cancer for 14 years. Endless treatments, 3 major surgeries......"neck revisions." No mas, please.....

re: scarring. It really is the least of my worries.

I have an ear-to-ear "Mafia Smile" It bugs other people more than me.

Why worry about your beard or mustache if your head is about to get lopped off?

The real drag of ANY medical procedure is that your healthy "friends" flip out, wanting to distance themselves from you.

They seek to differentiate in order to assuage their own fears of mortality. I can deal with my own stuff, yet highly resent having to play therapist to some clown having a meltdown during my ordeal, <deleted>?

Only someone that has been through a serious illness knows what I am talking about. You gotta experience it firsthand. People will offer up all sorts of stupid and insipid treatment therapies. As in "...if you had drunk mint tea for 3 months, or applied a poultice of aged dog manure, you would never have gotten thyroid cancer." People become unglued with those around them are stricken. Family members---sorry to state---are the worse. I have learned to not tell them anything. They flip out, afraid of themselves. You really ditch borderline friendships asap. One buddy related that because I've been a long distance lap swimmer my entire life---swimming laps caused my thyroid cancers. Oh Joy.

I've never smoked, don't drink...hey---maybe that is why I got it?

With Chernobyl and Fukushima, thyroid cancer rates will be skyrocketing whether we care to admit and discuss such matters remains to be seen.

The real drag of ANY medical procedure is that your healthy "friends" flip out, wanting to distance themselves from you.

ANY medical procedure, and healthy friends flip out? You're kidding right?

When I was a little younger, I got a cyst in my scrotum. It grew to the size of a small pineapple, and shoved my testes upwards nearly into my stomach.

Healthy friends all were so near, wanting a peek.

When the cyst was removed, and my <deleted> dropped back down; they swelled to the size of 2 apples in parallel. Upon display, there was rapture and applause.

There was no distancing, neither before nor after by healthy friends..... so let's discard ANY medical procedure.

re: scarring. It really is the least of my worries.

I have an ear-to-ear "Mafia Smile" It bugs other people more than me.

Why worry about your beard or mustache if your head is about to get lopped off?

The real drag of ANY medical procedure is that your healthy "friends" flip out, wanting to distance themselves from you.

They seek to differentiate in order to assuage their own fears of mortality. I can deal with my own stuff, yet highly resent having to play therapist to some clown having a meltdown during my ordeal, <deleted>?

Only someone that has been through a serious illness knows what I am talking about. You gotta experience it firsthand. People will offer up all sorts of stupid and insipid treatment therapies. As in "...if you had drunk mint tea for 3 months, or applied a poultice of aged dog manure, you would never have gotten thyroid cancer." People become unglued with those around them are stricken. Family members---sorry to state---are the worse. I have learned to not tell them anything. They flip out, afraid of themselves. You really ditch borderline friendships asap. One buddy related that because I've been a long distance lap swimmer my entire life---swimming laps caused my thyroid cancers. Oh Joy.

I've never smoked, don't drink...hey---maybe that is why I got it?

With Chernobyl and Fukushima, thyroid cancer rates will be skyrocketing whether we care to admit and discuss such matters remains to be seen.

Well said;regarding the peripheral friends. Suggestion to my wife from a new co-worker regarding dermatitis attack. "Its just a heat rash" drink more water.

Does anyone know Bangkok's Police General Hospital is open to the general (Thai) public or is it just for Police ?

Does anyone know Bangkok's Police General Hospital is open to the general (Thai) public or is it just for Police ?

They open to general public not only Thai people but including foreigners.

Many thanks Clipmobile ....

Does anyone know Bangkok's Police General Hospital is open to the general (Thai) public or is it just for Police ?

They open to general public not only Thai people but including foreigners.

...interesting what the article DID NOT STATE...like will MIS(minimally invasive surgery) work with a complete thyroidectomy?

The real pain with getting one's thyroid removed is the post-op hypothyroidism necessary for accurate testing and treatments (RAI-131, etc.)

Google up the horrors of hypothyroidism, very real and not a joke. You do not want to live through this. A patient who has had his/her thyroid removed simply has to stop taking their levothyroxine/synthroid in order to drop like a rock. Sucks like you cannot believe.

I did this 11 times before finding a new endrocrinologist who did "thyrogen assist" testing. Thyrogen is pure TSH and works wonders....my hypothyroid window went from 12 weeks to 1 week. Two injections of thyrogen were $5k USD. Ouch. Used in screening, PET scan and treatment, if req'd.

I've had three major neck surgeries, so yes, am all for MIS. It is a another tool in the surgeon's tool kit, but I would be cautiously reserved. I've been dealing with thyroid cancer for 14 years. Endless treatments, 3 major surgeries......"neck revisions." No mas, please.....

My thai wife has been advised to have her enlarged thyroid removed ,

She has been treated at the local General Hospital in Udon Thani .

Please could you advise me of a specialist surgeon , and if possible the cost involved for the thyroid removal operation.

much appreciated , thank you.

Edited September 5, 201510 yr by elliss