The Impact of Body Mass Index on Safety and Efficacy of Endoscopic Radical Thyroidectomy via Gasless Unilateral Axillary Approach for Thyroid Cancer Patients

Endoscopic thyroidectomy via gasless unilateral axillary approach is a safe surgical option for patients with thyroid cancer. High BMI is associated with longer operative time but does not increase complication rates. The average surgical duration for obese patients is approximately 28 minutes longer than that for patients with normal weight. Patients with low BMI require particular attention to the protection of the supraclavicular nerve to reduce the risk of postoperative numbness.