Intraoperative use of the EndoScell scanner to assist in the surgical resection of papillary thyroid carcinoma: A case report

RATIONALE: Accurate resection of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is key to prognosis, but frozen section has sampling and time limitations. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 50-year-old female was diagnosed with suspected PTC and underwent surgical treatment. DIAGNOSES: Intraoperative EndoCell detected residual atypical cells, and postoperative pathology confirmed bilateral PTC. INTERVENTIONS: The patient underwent a total thyroidectomy, with intraoperative EndoCell (real-time cellular imaging) used with nanocarbon/indocyanine green to assess margins and preserve parathyroids. OUTCOMES: EndoCell guided complete resection of residual tumor, with parathyroids preserved and no severe postoperative complications. LESSONS: EndoCell overcomes the limitations of frozen section, enhancing PTC surgical precision and safety when combined with complementary imaging.