CNN iReport

On June 9, 2009, Ronald B. Kuppersmith, MD, FACS, of Texas ENT and Allergy, successfully performed a Robot-assisted endoscopic thyroid lobectomy at the College Station Medical Center in College Station, Texas.  Dr. Kuppersmith and Dr. Andrew deJong are among a handful of physicians in the United States currently trained to perform this procedure using daVinci Surgical System. It is believed that fewer than 10 other cases have been performed in the United States.

By approaching the thyroid through an incision in the axillary fold (under the arm), the neck incision typically used for thyroid surgery is eliminated offering a much more cosmetically appealing procedure to patients. Additionally, the daVinci Surgical Robot offers superior visualization and instrumentation compared to traditional surgery, allowing a complete and safe dissection to be performed. Currently, patients with thyroid nodules less than 4 cm in diameter and small papillary thyroid carcinomas may be candidates for this procedure.

“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 Dr. Kuppersmith.

In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Kuppersmith serves as the President-Elect of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and as a clinical faculty member of the Department of Surgery at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine.

For more information, please call 979-693-6000 or visit our website http://www.texasentandallergy.com or on Twitter @RoboticThyroid.