[Thyroid surgery in local anesthesia: renewal of an old method].

Abstract

Aim: Before the introduction of general anesthesia, thyroid operations were performed under local anesthesia. With the development of anesthesia, surgeons preferred to operate in narcosis. Nowadays regional anesthesia has become popular leading to faster recovery.

Methods: At the Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancer Center of our institute, between May 2019 and October 2024, 11 patients were treated in regional anesthesia with the blockage of the superficial branches of the cervical plexus, followed by an ultrasound-guided thyroid capsule sheath space block. Patients were previously given 2 mg of i.v. midazolam, in case of need 50 μg of i.v. fentanyl under hemodynamic monitoring.

Results: One patient had transient Horner's syndrome, one patient suffered from transient left shoulder numbness. The average operating time was 42.7 minutes (25-80 minutes). The incidence of postoperative pain, nausea and vomiting were reduced.

Conclusions: Regional nerve block anesthesia as an alternative of narcosis can be used in thyroid surgery, offering several advantages.