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DHA highlights steps in minimally invasive scar-free thyroid surgery known as 'Dubai Triangle'

Dubai - Dr Latif said the surgery causes less pain and leads to quicker recovery as it is done via endoscopy.

A surgeon from Dubai Hospital’s surgery department highlighted the introduction of set of steps and guided techniques that they have added to the global minimally invasive scar-free thyroid surgery procedure.

Dr Yasir Amin A. Latif, Consultant Surgeon at Dubai Hospital and Associate Professor at Dubai Medical College, who invented these new set of steps and called them the Dubai Triangle method said: said: “The addition of these steps aims to minimize the risk of injury to surrounding organs during the endoscopic transoral approach. These steps and guides are in the process of being published internationally.”

Dr Latif said he named the technique ‘Dubai Triangle’, firstly as a sign of respect and love for the city of Dubai and, secondly, due to the placement of the important structures in and around the thyroid and parathyroid glands.

“These structures should be avoided during the surgery to minimise the risk of complications and improve the patient’s quality life post-operatively. Dubai is also an abbreviation for the technique followed in the procedure which is dissection under vision by assisted indicators (Dubai) that ensure that organs around the thyroid gland are not harmed during the surgery. This minimises the risk of complications and improves the patient’s quality life post-operatively. It also ensures no-scar and reduces the hospital stay post-surgery.”

Dr Yaser added that Dubai Hospital is a specialised centre for all kinds of minimally invasive surgeries of thyroid and parathyroid glands. It is the first centre in the Middle East and GCC that started this service and since 2019 they introduced the Triangle of Dubai method.

He said, “The second step during the procedure is to identify the nerve which is within the area of the Dubai Triangle. After identification, it is important to test the function of the laryngeal nerve (RLN) by nerve monitoring as this nerve provides quality of voice. Any issues can also lead to breathing difficulties, which then needs another surgery to correct that.”

He added that the surgery is scar-free, causes less-pain, leads to quicker recovery as it is done via endoscopy through the mouth using minimally invasive techniques.

He said: “In general, if you are having symptoms, get yourself tested. This is a general guideline — those with symptoms or a family history must undergo screening earlier and may need frequent repeat tests as per the doctor’s instructions.”

Since the disease often goes undetected for long periods of time, Dr Latif said it is important to conduct yearly screening if patients experience common symptoms or if they have certain risk factors like hereditary predisposition or swelling in the neck.

“Women, particularly those who experience menstrual disturbances or those who are facing problems in conceiving, must get their thyroid levels checked. Thyroid problems can cause infertility and in pregnant women who have co-existing thyroid disease, it increases the chances of miscarriage.”

reporters@khaleejtimes.com