Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Meta-Analysis
. 2022 Oct;18(5):e2427.
doi: 10.1002/rcs.2427. Epub 2022 Jun 5.

Conversion rates in robotic thyroid surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Barbara Martino  1 , Letizia Nitro  1 , Loredana De Pasquale  2 , Paolo Lozza  1 , Alberto Maccari  1 , Luca Castellani  1 , Matilde Piazzoni  1 , Matteo Cardellicchio  1 , Antonio Mario Bulfamante  1 , Carlotta Pipolo  1 , Giovanni Felisati  1 , Alberto Maria Saibene  1
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Conversion rates in robotic thyroid surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Barbara Martino et al. Int J Med Robot. 2022 Oct.

Abstract

Objective: To define the conversion risk to open procedure during robot-assisted thyroid surgery (RATS) identifying potential specific subclasses of procedures or accesses at higher conversion risk.

Methods: In a PRISMA-compliant framework, all original prospective studies providing RATS conversion rates from multiple databases were pooled in a random-effects meta-analysis. Conversion rates were compared between different typologies of thyroid surgery and robotic access.

Results: 13 studies were deemed eligible. Four conversions from two studies were reported out of 398 procedures. No significant heterogeneity was observed (Cochran's Q p = 0.932; I2 = 0%). The pooled conversion rate was 1% (95% confidence interval, 0.1%-2%). The ANOVA-Q test failed to show significant differences when comparing type of thyroid surgery or robotic access (respectively p = 0.766 and p = 0.457).

Conclusion: While the conversion rate appears consistently low across studies, prospective data collection and systematic reporting of procedural complications are required for framing high-risk procedures and accesses.

Keywords: adverse events; complications; hemithyroidectomy; minimally invasive surgery; robotic surgery; thyroidectomy.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no potential conflict of interest or financial disclosures pertaining to this article.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
PRISMA‐style flow chart of selection of studies throughout the systematic review and meta‐analysis
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
The pooled conversion rate in patients undergoing robot‐assisted thyroid surgery (RATS). Effects and summaries were calculated using a random‐effect model weighted by the study population
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Guerra F, Giuliani G, Coletta D. The risk of conversion in minimally invasive oncological abdominal surgery. Meta‐analysis of randomized evidence comparing traditional laparoscopic versus robot‐assisted techniques. Langenbecks Arch Surg. 2021;406(3):607‐612. 10.1007/s00423-021-02106-y - DOI - PubMed
    1. Chen SH, Li ZA, Huang R, Xue HQ. Robot‐assisted versus conventional laparoscopic surgery for endometrial cancer staging: a meta‐analysis. Taiwan J Obstet Gynecol. 2016;55(4):488‐494. 10.1016/j.tjog.2016.01.003 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Hu J, Chen Y, Dai J, et al. Perioperative outcomes of robot‐assisted vs video‐assisted and traditional open thoracic surgery for lung cancer: a systematic review and network meta‐analysis. Int J Med Robot. 2020;16(5):1‐14. 10.1002/rcs.2123 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Lobe TE, Wright SK, Irish MS. Novel uses of surgical robotics in head and neck surgery. J Laparoendosc Adv Surg Tech. 2005;15(6):647‐652. 10.1089/lap.2005.15.647 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Piccoli M, Mullineris B, Gozzo D, et al. Evolution strategies in transaxillary robotic thyroidectomy: considerations on the first 449 cases performed. J Laparoendosc Adv Surg Tech. 2019;29(4):433‐440. 10.1089/lap.2019.0021 - DOI - PMC - PubMed