Objective To explore the clinical value of endoscopic thyroid surgery combined with modified whole areola approach for patients with early differentiated thyroid cancer.

Methods A total of 94 patients with early differentiated thyroid cancer were selected as study subjects. The patients were divided into the control group and observation group according to the surgical procedure. The control group was treated with open surgery, while the observation group was rteated with modified endoscopic thyroid surgery through areola approach. The perioperative indexes, postoperative stress response indexes, voice disturbance index, reflux symptom index, scar assessment scale, vancouver scar scale and postoperative complications were compared between two groups.

Results Before surgery, there was no statistical significance in the stress indicators between two groups(P>0.05);after surgery, the levels of cortisol, norepinephrine, and plasma endothelin in the observation group were lower than those in control group(P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the hospitalization time, extubation time and incision length were shorter, the intraoperative bleeding was less, the VAS score was lower, and the postoperative drainage and longer surgery time were more in the observation group(P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the incidence of postoperative complications in the observation group was lower(P < 0.05). The voice disturbance index and reflux symptom index scale scores in the observation group were lower than those in control group, while the scar scale scores were higher than that in control group(P < 0.05).

Conclusions Endoscopic thyroid surgery through the whole areola approach in the treatment of early differentiated thyroid cancer has good cosmetic effects and fewer complications. It can achieve good treatment results, and help promote postoperative recovery of patients.