Efficacy and safety of robot-assisted thyroidectomies: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Background: During the past few decades, robot-assisted surgeries in advanced medical fields have become very significant in respect of safety and efficacy as compared to conventional therapies. Various types of advanced robotic thyroidectomies are successfully performed all over the world. This systematic review and meta-analysis is set to assess the safety and efficacy of different robotic thyroidectomies with conventional procedures. Methods: Data was collected by searching on different databases from 2010 to 2024, and after screening two randomized controlled trials and 9 observational studies were selected for review. A total of 2123 patients were involved in all studies, and data was collected according to outcomes of interest. Risk of bias assessment was performed by the Cochrane tool and the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Subgroup analysis was also conducted among different robotic approaches. Results: The primary outcome of operation timing and blood loss showed a significant difference between all robotic thyroidectomy (RT) and conventional thyroidectomy (CT). While other outcomes, length of hospital stay, and pain parameters showed no significant difference between RT and CT procedures. Conclusion: Robot-assisted procedures are a better alternative than conventional therapies, as there is no significant difference between their outcomes in respect of safety and efficacy, along with satisfactory results regarding cosmetic scarring.