New surgery eliminates scarring from thyroid surgery

9 Oct 2019

9 October 2019

Patients undergoing thyroid surgery at St John of God Subiaco Hospital can now avoid any scarring on the neck thanks to a new minimally invasive surgical procedure called Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy. 

St John of God Subiaco Hospital is the only private health care facility in Western Australia to offer the procedure which is used to treat a range of thyroid conditions including Thyroid Cancer and Graves’ Disease. 

The procedure involves the surgical removal of all or part of the thyroid gland. 

Surgeons access the thyroid gland between the lower lip and gum without a skin incision. 

The surgery is performed by a select number of surgeons worldwide including St John of God Subiaco Hospital Endocrine Surgeon Associate Professor Ming Khoon Yew.

In addition to pioneering the procedure at St John of God Subiaco Hospital, he was the first surgeon to perform the procedure in Australia in 2018.

According to A/Prof Ming Khoon Yew, there are many patient benefits of Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy compared to traditional open surgery.

“Previously, patients were left with a scar on the neck which could be prominent and often resulted in feelings of self-consciousness,” he said.

“This new surgery has an excellent safety profile and patients experience reduced postoperative pain and a smooth recovery process.”

Since being introduced to the hospital in June 2018, a total of 19 Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomies have been performed. This is the largest number of cases at a private hospital across Australia and New Zealand. 

As the procedure is minimally invasive, most patients are only required to stay at hospital overnight and are able to sip water and eat soft foods the day after surgery.

Nadiyah Mughal underwent the procedure at St John of God Subiaco Hospital in July for the treatment of Graves Disease.

Nadiyah said that cancer cells were discovered in the thyroid specimen after her operation.

“I am incredibly grateful to have benefited from this new procedure. It ensured that I avoided any visible scarring on my neck and removed the cancer with minimal downtime.”

St John of God Subiaco Hospital CEO Professor Shirley Bowen added that the hospital has provided cancer services and care to the WA community since 1898, longer than any other private hospital in the State.

“Over the decades, we have invested heavily in research and clinical trials specific to cancer and have introduced a variety of new procedures and facilities to ensure that our oncology patients are provided leading and complete care,” she said.

“This state-of-the-art surgical procedure reflects our commitment to innovation and to ensuring our patients experience the best possible surgical outcomes.”