You shouldn't have missed the Masterclasses in Thyroid Surgery.
- Carlos E Costa Almeida
- há 21 horas
- 3 min de leitura
The Masterclasses in Thyroid Surgery were a real success.
Hosted by the Head & Neck Surgery Department (Head: Dr. Paula Messias; Organization: Dr. Carlos E. Costa Almeida) of the Portuguese Oncology Institute of Coimbra (IPO Coimbra, Portugal), the Masterclasses in Thyroid Surgery occurred last week (25-26 June 2025). Focusing on updates in thyroid surgery, the meeting was a constant source of interesting and lively discussions between experts and attendees.
Dr. Ozer Makay (Izmir, Turkiye) opened the meeting, giving us tips and tricks on how to perform a thyroidectomy. The participation of the Endocrinology Department from IPO Coimbra (Dr. Fernando Rodrigues, Dr. Teresa Martins, Dr. Joana Couto, Dr. Ana Rita Elvas, Dr. Jacinta Santos) was crucial, giving insights into the upcoming changes in clinical practice.
The second half of the Masterclasses in Thyroid Surgery was dedicated to neuromonitoring during thyroidectomy. The lectures by Dr. Francesca Torresan (Padova, Italy), Dr. Marco Raffaelli (Rome, Italy), Dr. Carlos E. Costa Almeida (IPO Coimbra, Portugal), Dr. David Saavedra (Barcelona, Spain), and Dr. Carlos Leichsenring (Lisbon, Portugal) were fantastic, describing how to perform correct and safe neuromonitoring. A great discussion followed, highlighting the importance of respecting the V1-R1-R2-V2 protocol when using I-IONM (intermittent intraoperative nerve monitoring). This is the way to do neuromonitoring, and it is the only way to rely on the EMG findings.
The second day of the Masterclasses in Thyroid Surgery began with Dr. Carlos Serra (Lisbon, Portugal) and how to avoid hypoparathyroidism. Dr. Marco Raffaelli presented us with a magnificent video on lateral neck dissection. In my opinion, the combination of the lecture on prophylactic central neck dissection (Dr. Francesca Torresan, on behalf of Dr. Maurizio Iacobone) and the lecture on sentinel ganglion in thyroid carcinoma (Dr. David Saavedra, on behalf of Dr. Oscar Vidal) was fantastic. In my opinion, the sentinel ganglion in thyroid carcinoma has the potential to be "game-changing," not only in T1 and T2 (as presented) but also in T3 and T4. Think with me... If you do not perform a prophylactic central neck dissection for the T3 and T4 (I do not perform because 2/3 are negative, there is an increased risk of RLN injury, and some papers show not increased risk of nerve injury during reoperation in experienced hands), why not use the sentinel ganglion to decide whether to do or not do a central neck dissection for any T? You move from a prophylactic central neck dissection towards and therapeutic central neck dissection. No more RLN injuries in a negative central compartment.
The event continued with Dr. Jaime Vilaça (Porto, Portugal), Dr. Atakan Sezer (Trakya, Turkiye), and Dr. Ozer Makay giving lectures about endoscopic techniques, the advantages and disadvantages of these techniques, and minimally invasive treatments (MIT) for thyroid nodules. Dr. Ozer Makay explained the recent consensus about MIT decided during the last May meeting of the European Society of Endocrine Surgeons (ESES) in Izmir, Turkiye. The discussion arose because vagus stimulation is often not respected in endoscopic surgery, which puts safety at risk. How this can be overcome was also discussed.
The Masterclasses in Thyroid Surgery ended with a brilliant conference from Dr. Kyriakos Vamvakidis (Athens, Greece) about early thyroidectomy in RET mutation carriers. It was clear that the "window of opportunity" is there, but it is not easy to decide when.
I would like to say thank you to all attendees in the Masterclasses in Thyroid Surgery who filled the room on both days. Your presence was the fuel for the meeting.
To the experts who came from Porto and Lisbon, thank you for your friendship and effort in being with us. Hope you have enjoyed as much as we did.
A special word to all experts who came from Greece, Italy, Spain, and Turkiye to be with us in a meeting full of science but also with very good friendship. We know that it was our friendship that supported the Masterclasses in Thyroid Surgery. Once again, thank you for all the effort.
See you next year...
Dr. Carlos Eduardo Costa Almeida
General Surgeon
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