Abstract:Objective To explore the therapeutic effects of endoscopic thyroid surgery via the total areola approach and surgery for benign thyroid lesions via the cervical approach in patients with benign thyroid diseases.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 86 patients with benign thyroid diseases from November 2021 to February 2024. The patients were divided into group A and group B according to different surgical methods, with 43 cases in each group. Group A underwent surgery for benign thyroid lesions via the cervical approach, while group B received endoscopic thyroid surgery via the total areola approach. Both groups of patients were followed up for one year after the operation. The perioperative related indicators, parathyroid function before and one month after operation, swallowing function, neck pain and aesthetics before and one year after operation, and complications within one year after operation were compared between the two groups.Results The intraoperative blood loss in group B was less than that in group A, the hospital stay was shorter than that in group A, and the hospitalization cost was higher than that in group A. The differences were all statistically significant (P < 0.05). The levels of blood calcium and parathyroid hormone (PTH) in both groups of patients one month after the operation were lower than those before the operation, but those in group B were higher than those in group A, the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). One year after the operation, the standard swallowing function assessment scale (SSA), neck pain visual analogue scale (VAS), patient scar assessment scale (PSAS), Vancouver scar scale (VSS), and observer scar assessment scale (OSAS) score of the two groups of patients were lower than those before the operation, and those in group B were lower than those in group A, the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Within one year after the operation, the total incidence of complications in group A was 20.93%, which was higher than 4.65% in group B, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05).Conclusion Compared with the cervical approach for benign thyroid lesion surgery, endoscopic thyroid surgery via the total areola approach can improve parathyroid gland and swallowing functions, reduce intraoperative blood loss in patients with benign thyroid diseases, shorten hospital stay, reduce the severity of neck pain, enhance aesthetic appearance, and has good safety. However, the hospitalization cost of this surgery is relatively high. Clinically, the surgical plan should be reasonably selected based on the specific conditions of the patient.