Thyroid Surgery without Neck Incisions

Once again, the College Station Medical Center displays its commitment to the community by offering the latest technology and partnering with physicians on the forefront of their specialty. Andrew de Jong, MD and Ron Kuppersmith, MD, Otolaryngologist-Head and Neck Surgeons at CSMC, are among the first physicians in the United States to offer the thyroid surgery using the daVinci Robot. In addition to eliminating neck incisions, the daVinci robot allows these surgeons to perform delicate work around nerves and other important structures near the thyroid.

Thyroid nodules are very common particularly in women. The risk increases with pregnancy, advancing age, and radiation exposure. While nodules are common, thyroid cancer is much less common. Thyroid surgery is typically performed to treat thyroid cancer, to aid in the diagnosis or thyroid cancer, or if a nodule is causing obstructive symptoms such as difficulty breathing or swallowing. Even with “minimally invasive” techniques, traditional thyroid surgery leaves an unsightly scar across the front of the neck. While the scar has been a concern for patients in the past, there was no alternative. Now, when a patient comes to the College Station Medical Center they may be able to have their thyroid surgery performed without any visible neck incisions using the daVinci robot!

“The ability to use the daVinci robot for thyroid surgery potentially represents a great step forward in patient care, provides new options for patients, and will allow for the procedure to be conducted without leaving unattractive scarring on the neck,” says Ron Kuppersmith, M.D. Additionally, Andrew de Jong, M.D. noted that “the da Vinci robot is cutting edge technology, and we feel fortunate to be able to bring this new procedure to our community before it is available almost anywhere else in the nation.”

For more information, call 979-693-6000 or visit roboticthyroid.com