Calcutta, Nov. 12: Sameera Sahani had been suffering from a thyroid tumour for the last four years. To remove it, the 38-year-old may have had to undergo surgery that involves an incision on the neck and risk to her voice box nerves.

However, Sahani ended up without a scratch on the neck and the tumour was removed, thanks to the state-of-the-art surgery ? bloodless endoscopic thyroidectomy through the armpit approach. “The tumour in the thyroid gland was removed without any trauma to the neck,” said B. Ramana, a laparoscopy surgeon who led the team of doctors who operated on Sahani at Apollo Gleneagles Clinic.

The method involves a tiny cut over the armpit through which a balloon is injected and inflated, creating a space in the chest and neck. Two more five-millimetre cuts are made in the armpit to push in instruments to dissect the thyroid gland.

A swollen thyroid, because of goitre, has become very common in the city, which falls in the world’s largest goitre belt. According to doctors, nearly 6 per cent of the patients in the city are suffering from thyroid-related problems.

Endemic goitre occurs from dietary iodine deficiency. It can result in abortions and babies being born with disabilities or developing low intelligence levels, speech disorders and other problems.

The thyroid gland, a butterfly-shaped organ located in front of the neck, often develops nodules or bloats up. Doctors say the proximity of multiple vessels and nerves that affect speech can complicate its removal.

A conventional operation requires a long incision stretching from one side of the neck to another. Endoscopic surgery, on the other hand, involves very little bleeding and ensures complete invisibility of the scars.

“The clear, magnified images can be seen during the operation and this makes the process very safe,” Ramana said. “Nerves of the voice box can be seen clearly and there is less risk of injury.

“Considering that a large number of goitre patients needing surgery are young and middle-aged women, there is a major role for endoscopic surgery in the management of this disease,” he said.

However, other city-based laparoscopy surgeons feel the process needs to be tested further. “Small selective glands can be removed through this surgery,” said V.K. Bhartia of AMRI Hospitals.

“It is to be seen whether the process is equally effective for total thyroidectomy, where both the lobes of the thyroid have to be removed,” said a surgeon.