Robotic thyroidectomy offers theoretical cosmetic and technical advantages; however, its role in contemporary U.S. practice remains unclear. This study evaluated perioperative outcomes of robotic versus open thyroidectomy using national data. A retrospective analysis of the 2022–2023 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database identified thyroidectomy cases using CPT codes and operative approach modifiers. Demographics, comorbidities, operative time, and 30-day outcomes were compared. A 2:1 propensity score–matched analysis was performed to adjust for baseline differences. Among 32,269 thyroidectomy cases, only 35 (0.1%) were performed robotically. Baseline characteristics were comparable between groups. Robotic thyroidectomy demonstrated a trend toward longer operative time (117 vs. 101 minutes, p=0.056) without a statistically significant difference in overall complication rates (5.7% vs. 2.0%, p=0.162). In the matched cohort (35 robotic vs. 70 open cases), operative duration, length of stay, and 30-day complications remained similar, with no mortality observed in the robotic group. Given the very small number of robotic cases, the analysis was underpowered to detect small differences. Robotic thyroidectomy remains exceedingly uncommon in current U.S. practice. No differences in short-term outcomes were detected; however, these findings are limited by the extremely small robotic sample and should not be interpreted as evidence of equivalence. Rather, they highlight the limited adoption of robotic thyroidectomy and the need for larger studies to better define its clinical role.
Hage et al. (Wed,) studied this question.
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