Sponsor Information
Register for The Texas Institute for Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery
With over 30 combined years of experience performing thyroid and parathyroid surgery The Texas Institute for Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery is among one of the first sites in the United States to offer the newest technology, "No Neck Incisions" for Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery!
What are "No Neck Incisions"?
Traditionally Thyroid and Parathyroid
surgery has been performed through a neck incision just above the collar
bone. While there have been many refinements to thyroid surgery, patients
continue to be unsatisfied with having a cervical (neck) scar. The Texas
Institute for Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery offers minimally invasive thyroid
and parathyroid procedures with the goal of smaller incision sizes and faster
recovery, while maintaining the outcome standards of traditional open surgery
and reducing the risk of complications.
We are excited to introduce “Robot-Assisted Endoscopic Thyroid surgery (thyroid lobectomy, total thyroidectomy) and parathyroid surgery (parathyroidectomy) with No Neck Incisions.” By approaching the thyroid or parathyroid's through an incision in the axillary fold (under the arm) and using the daVinci Surgical System, we are able to eliminate the cervical (neck) scar and reduce post-surgical numbness of the anterior neck.
Our surgeons are among the first in the United States to offer this procedure. We are experienced at performing the full range of thyroid and parathyroid procedures. Our surgeons use the latest technologies including Intuitive Surgical's daVinci Surgical Robotic System, laryngeal nerve monitoring, the Harmonic Scalpel (ultrasonic cutting and coagulation device), and others. We are actively engaged in international collaboration with our peers, educational outreach and research, keeping us on the forefront of the latest techniques and information in the field. Training opportunities are available.
The daVinci® Surgical System, which has been widely adopted for use in prostate
surgery, hysterectomy and other surgical procedures, offers superior
visualization and instrumentation compared to traditional open thyroid surgery,
allowing a complete and safe removal to be performed. The da Vinci Surgical
System enables surgeons to perform even the most complex and delicate procedures
through remote incisions with unmatched precision. With daVinci Surgery,
miniaturized wristed instruments and a high-definition 3D camera are introduced
through small incisions. Seated comfortably at the daVinci console, your surgeon
views a magnified, high-resolution 3D image of the surgical site. At the same
time, state-of-the-art robotic and computer technologies scale, filter and
seamlessly translate your surgeon's hand movements into precise micro-movements
of the daVinci instruments.
Although visually similar to standard laparoscopic instruments, the robotic
instruments have the additional advantage of being articulated. This means the
instruments not only open and close but also fully turn and twist, allowing 7
degrees of motion. Unlike standard open surgical instruments these instruments
are much smaller. Many of the jaws of the tools are shorter in length than your
fingernail and about as thin as the edge of a half dollar. This allows very
small and precise movements and surgical cuts to carefully dissect out the
thyroid from its surrounding structures.
da Vinci Surgical System and No Neck Incisions
Thyroid surgery is typically performed for thyroid cancer, a nodule
(mass) present in the thyroid that is suspicious for cancer, an enlarged thyroid
(goiter) causing compressive symptoms such as difficulty swallowing or
breathing, and in some cases of hyperthyroidism. The traditional "open" method uses a 6-8 cm horizontal incision in the lower
neck to expose the thyroid and surrounding structures. A "minimally invasive"
approach with or without an endoscope can be performed in selected cases to
reduce the incision size to between 2-4 cm. In selected patients, we
can completely eliminate neck incisions using the da Vinci Surgical System to
perform robot-assisted endoscopic thyroid surgery.
Thyroid lobectomy, the removal of half of the thyroid gland. Typically this is
performed to determine if an existing nodule is cancerous, or if enlargement of
the thyroid is confined to one side. If cancer is found in the lobe of the
thyroid, the other side may need to be removed (completion thyroidectomy)
depending on the size of the cancer.
Parathyroid surgery is typically performed to remove a parathyroid adenoma. We can use several different surgical approaches to perform these procedures. The traditional "open" parathyroid exploration method uses a 4-6 cm horizontal incision in the lower neck to expose the thyroid, parathyroids, and surrounding structures. A "minimally invasive" approach, with or without an endoscope, can be performed in most cases to reduce the incision size to between 2-4 cm. In selected patients, we can completely eliminate neck incisions using the da Vinci Surgical System to perform robot-assisted endoscopic parathyroid surgery.
Training Opportunities
Our Meet Doctors
Meet world renowned specialist, Dr. Kuppersmith. Dr. Kuppersmith currently serves as the President-Elect of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, as President of the Texas Association of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, and on the Board of Trustees of the College Station Medical Center. He is a Senior Examiner for the American Board of Otolaryngology. He has received numerous awards including being selected by his peers for inclusion in the "Best Doctors in America", the “Guide to America’s Top Physicians” by the Consumers’ Research Council of America, a Distinguished Service Award and an Honor Award from the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. He serves on the Editorial Boards of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Laryngoscope, and ENT Journal. He has given over 100 invited lectures in the United States, Europe, and South America. Training opportunitites are currently being offered by Dr. Kuppersmith.
Andrew de Jong, MD, is a board certified Otolaryngologist-Head and Neck Surgeon and is a clinical faculty member of the Texas A&M Health Science Center. Dr. de Jong serves on the Executive Committee of the Texas Association of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and has served as the Chief of Staff of St. Joseph's Regional Health Center in Bryan, Texas in 2006. He has received numerous awards including being selected by his peers for the "Best Doctors in America" database, the “Guide to America’s Top Physicians” by the Consumers’ Research Council of America, and was recognized as a "Texas Super Doctor" by Texas Monthly. He was also voted the "Best Physician" in the Bryan-College Station Eagle's Readers' Choice Awards.
Kellous A. Price, MD, is a board certified Otolaryngologist-Head and Neck Surgeon and is a clinical faculty member of the Texas A&M Health Science Center. Dr. Price is a Fellow of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, a member of the American Medical Association, American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy, American College of Surgeons, Texas Association of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and Texas Medical Association.
Texas ENT and Allergy
1730 Birmingham Drive
College Station, Texas 77845
979-693-6000
877-377-4ENT Toll-Free
979-693-1900 fax
