Renovated Prediction Model for Difficult Transoral and Submental Endoscopic Thyroidectomy

The investigators have previously proposed a prediction model for difficult transoral and submental thyroidectomy through a retrospective study. In order to better promote transoral and submental endoscopic approach for thyroid surgery and to set up an appropriate training course, the investigators aim to renovate and validate the prediction model through a prospective study.

Male sex, age, BMI, neck length and certain thyroid disease such as thyroiditis and hyperthyroidism have been long cited as indicators of a difficult thyroidectomy. The investiagtors hypothesized that neck extension was critical to the exposure and visualization of the surgical field in the endoscopic thyroidectomy. Therefore, several measurements were innovatedly integrated into the prediction model, including neck circumference, thyromental distance, sternomental distance, ratio of height-to-thyromental distance, ratio of height-to-sternomental distance.