Thyroid Gland Removal in Israel Without Scars

The Ichilov clinic in Tel Aviv has implemented an advanced technique for thyroidectomy – the removal of the thyroid gland, the main advantage of which is the complete absence of any incisions, and therefore, scars on the skin of the neck. This new approach not only achieves an excellent cosmetic result of the surgery but also shortens the rehabilitation period and the patient's stay in the hospital.

Traditional thyroid surgery involves an incision on the neck, which results in a corresponding cosmetic defect. However, since medicine has aimed to minimize the extent of surgical trauma, minimally invasive techniques have entered clinical practice, including those implemented with robotic technology. Specialists continue to improve these techniques while simultaneously searching for alternative access points to the thyroid gland.

One of the most promising approaches is the transoral access, which means access through the oral cavity, and it forms the basis of the new thyroidectomy technique. It allows for the avoidance of scars on exposed areas of the body and, unlike other alternative approaches, provides a shorter route to the gland.

“This technique is much less traumatic compared not only to traditional surgery but also to some minimally invasive methods,” says Professor Dan Fliss, one of Israel's leading ENT surgeons and head of the otolaryngology department at Ichilov Medical Center. “The new method eliminates any punctures on the neck. Access to the organ being operated on is achieved through the floor of the mouth. The surgeon makes three tiny punctures between the lower lip and the jaw, through which he introduces endoscopic instruments that are manipulated by a robot under his control.”

This approach ensures precision in the intervention, allowing for the quality removal of the thyroid gland without leaving any scars on the body.

The clinic notes that minimally invasive thyroidectomy techniques have been used before. To avoid an incision on the neck, access to the gland was obtained through punctures in the armpit, upper chest, retroauricular areas, as well as in the hairy part of the head. The cosmetic defect in this case was minimal, as the scar remained in a less noticeable area, but it still existed. The new technique allows for the exclusion of scar formation not only on exposed parts of the body but also on the skin in general.