Transoral Thyroidectomy (TOETVA) - Experience of the First 6 Months
Cosmin Giulea, Tiberiu Bîrcă, Mădălina Tartalea, Raluca Elena Hanganu, Flavinia Ţipă, Adrian MironSurgical Technique, no. 6, 2025
Article DOI: 10.21614/chirurgia.3189
Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy Vestibular Approach (TOETVA) is an emerging minimally invasive technique of performing thyroidectomy with no scarring, less dissection and less laryngeal nerve manipulation. This article presents in detail the TOETVA technique and includes the first Romanian series of 23 patients enrolled in a study between December 2024 and June 2025 who underwent TOETVA.
All procedures were carried out by a single surgical team using standard laparoscopic equipment. Surgeon experience in both endocrine surgery and laparoscopy is necessary. For a selected group of patients, this technique proved to be safe, with no laryngeal or mental nerve injury, few cases of transient hypocalcaemia and good aesthetic results, the most common complication being anterior cervical ecchymosis.
These preliminary results support TOETVA as an effective alternative to the conventional open thyroidectomy, especially for patients seeking scarless outcomes.
All procedures were carried out by a single surgical team using standard laparoscopic equipment. Surgeon experience in both endocrine surgery and laparoscopy is necessary. For a selected group of patients, this technique proved to be safe, with no laryngeal or mental nerve injury, few cases of transient hypocalcaemia and good aesthetic results, the most common complication being anterior cervical ecchymosis.
These preliminary results support TOETVA as an effective alternative to the conventional open thyroidectomy, especially for patients seeking scarless outcomes.
Keywords: transoral thyroidectomy, TOETVA, minimally invasive surgery, endoscopic thyroidectomy
