Head and Neck-Journal for the Sciences and Specialties of the Head and Neck最新文献

{"title":"Associations Between Preexisting Depression and Anxiety and Postoperative Outcomes Among Medicare Beneficiaries Undergoing Head and Neck Cancer Surgery.","authors":"Xiaodan Hu, Daniel Gilmore, Ericka L Erickson, Catherine T Haring, Kyle VanKoevering, Nolan B Seim, Stephen Y Kang, James W Rocco, Ann Scheck McAlearney, Lauren E Miller","doi":"10.1002/hed.70307","DOIUrl":"10.1002/hed.70307","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Depression and anxiety are common in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC), but their impacts on postoperative outcomes after major HNC surgery are not well defined. We evaluated whether preexisting, clinically diagnosed depression or anxiety independently predicted short-term postoperative outcomes among adults undergoing HNC resection.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We performed a retrospective cohort study using 100% Medicare Standard Analytic Files from 2016 to 2023. Beneficiaries with HNC who underwent oncologic head and neck resection were identified using ICD-10-CM/PCS codes. Preexisting depression and anxiety were defined using Chronic Conditions Warehouse algorithms (≥ 1 inpatient or ≥ 2 outpatient claims in the year before surgery). Outcomes included length of stay (LOS), extended LOS (> 75th percentile), in-hospital complications, and 30- and 90-day readmission and mortality. LOS was modeled using truncated negative binomial regression; binary outcomes were modeled with multivariable logistic regression adjusting for demographics, comorbidities, tumor site, tobacco use, hospital teaching status, procedure complexity, and co-occurring depression or anxiety.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among 45 293 patients (median age 72 years), 6.6% had preexisting depression and 7.6% had preexisting anxiety. Depression was associated with a longer LOS (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 1.06, 95% CI 1.07-1.13), higher 30-day mortality (odds ratio [OR] 1.28, 95% CI 1.06-1.54), 90-day mortality (OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.07-1.39), and higher 30- and 90-day readmissions (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.07-1.34; OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.15-1.39), but not with in-hospital complications. Anxiety was similarly associated with longer LOS (IRR 1.10, 95% CI 1.07-1.13), extended LOS (OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.20-1.48), in-hospital complications (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.06-1.30), and higher 30- and 90-day mortality (OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.16-1.65; OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.18-1.50), but not readmissions.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Among Medicare beneficiaries undergoing HNC surgery, preexisting depression or anxiety are independent markers of increased postoperative risk. Routine mental health screening and targeted perioperative support may be important components of high-quality head and neck oncologic care.</p>","PeriodicalId":55072,"journal":{"name":"Head and Neck-Journal for the Sciences and Specialties of the Head and Neck","volume":" ","pages":"2830-2836"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13595450/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147846534","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparison of In-Office and General Anesthesia Biopsies for Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma in a Public Healthcare System.","authors":"Samuel Bellavance, Michel Khoury, Justine Colivas, Jonathan Primiani, Gabriel Dayan, Eric Bissada, Tareck Ayad, Apostolos Christopoulos, Jean-Claude Tabet, Louis Guertin, Paul Tabet","doi":"10.1002/hed.70300","DOIUrl":"10.1002/hed.70300","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>We compared treatment delays, costs, and management impact between oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) patients undergoing in-office versus general anesthesia panendoscopy-guided biopsies in two large tertiary centers in a public healthcare system.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>All OPSCC patients included were treated between 2010 and 2024 with either curative radiation alone or chemoradiation.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Demographic and tumor characteristics were comparable, except for smaller tumors in the panendoscopy group (n = 36) compared to the in-office group (n = 37) (mean size; 29.4 mm vs. 36.6 mm, respectively; difference -7.2 mm [95% CI, -11.3 to -3.1]). The panendoscopy group experienced substantially longer treatment initiation delays (mean days; 70.1 days vs. 44.5 days; difference 25.7 days [95% CI 13.0 to 38.2]). No additional synchronous tumors were detected through panendoscopy. Panendoscopy incurred a mean additional cost of 2025CAD $3886.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Panendoscopy for OPSCC prolongs treatment initiation, incurs additional expenses, and provides no incremental synchronous tumor detection. When clinically feasible, in-office biopsies should be preferred.</p>","PeriodicalId":55072,"journal":{"name":"Head and Neck-Journal for the Sciences and Specialties of the Head and Neck","volume":" ","pages":"2792-2799"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13595458/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147789873","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Minimally Invasive Remote Approaches Versus Conventional Open Approach in Central Neck Dissection for Patients Undergoing Total Thyroidectomy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.","authors":"Claudia Valenziano, Andrea Costantino, Martina Sebastiani, Marika D Russell, Amr H Abdelhamid Ahmed, Gregory W Randolph, Giuseppe Spriano, Fabio Ferreli, Giuseppe Mercante, Luca Canali","doi":"10.1002/hed.70395","DOIUrl":"10.1002/hed.70395","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Total thyroidectomy (TT) with central neck dissection (CND) is the standard surgical approach in selected thyroid cancer patients. Minimally invasive remote approaches (MIRA), either robotic or endoscopic, have been developed to improve cosmetic outcomes, but their oncological safety and efficacy remain debated.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To compare MIRA and the conventional open approach (COA) for CND during TT in terms of surgical outcomes, postoperative complications, and oncologic adequacy.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted. PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and Scopus databases were searched up to November 24, 2025. Only comparative studies including TT and CND (either ipsilateral or bilateral) in thyroid carcinoma patients were included. Primary outcomes of interest were differences in operative time, rates of transient and permanent vocal fold paralysis, and incidence of transient and permanent hypoparathyroidism.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Eleven comparative studies including 1626 patients were analyzed. MIRA was associated with a significantly longer operative time compared with COA (standardized mean difference (SMD) 1.75; 95% CI 1.39-2.11). No significant differences were observed between the two techniques in terms of transient vocal fold paralysis (OR 1.38; 95% CI 0.93-2.04) or transient hypoparathyroidism (OR 0.83; 95% CI 0.46-1.49). Intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage volume, and length of hospital stay were comparable between groups. The number of retrieved lymph nodes was slightly lower in the MIRA group, although the effect size was small (SMD -0.12; 95% CI -0.26 to -0.003). Due to limited and inconsistent reporting, permanent vocal fold paralysis and permanent hypoparathyroidism could not be quantitatively analyzed.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>MIRA for CND during TT appears to be feasible and safe in carefully selected thyroid cancer patients, with postoperative complication rates comparable to those of the COA. However, given the longer operative times and the limited evidence on long-term oncologic outcomes, the COA should remain the reference standard, while MIRA may be considered in selected patients at specialized high-volume centers.</p>","PeriodicalId":55072,"journal":{"name":"Head and Neck-Journal for the Sciences and Specialties of the Head and Neck","volume":" ","pages":"2922-2933"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148551527","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Health System Factors in Head and Neck Cancer Diagnosis: A HEADSpAcE Consortium Qualitative Study in Glasgow and Montevideo.","authors":"Grant Creaney, Iván Lyra González, Mauricio Cuello, Mariél de Aquino Goulart, Alex D McMahon, Claire Paterson, James McCaul, Maja Popovic, Lorenzo Richiardi, Silvia Lopez de Blanc, Maria Paula Curado, Marta Vilensky, Shaymaa Alwaheidi, Paul Brennan, Shama Virani, Al Ross, David I Conway","doi":"10.1002/hed.70262","DOIUrl":"10.1002/hed.70262","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Head and neck cancer (HNC) is a devastating diagnosis, with advanced-stage disease leading to poorer outcomes. This qualitative study aimed to identify health system factors associated with stage of HNC diagnosis.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Qualitative semistructured interviews with HNC patients and clinicians were undertaken in two purposively selected regional cancer centers in Scotland and Uruguay. Transcripts were analyzed thematically via Template Analysis, utilizing conventional cancer diagnostic intervals and a systems engineering model of how patient and organizational outcomes emerge from complex interactions.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Sixteen health system themes and 45 subthemes were identified from 29 interviews. Themes important for timely diagnosis included: public awareness of risk/symptoms; patient ability to access and navigate through HNC pathways; socioeconomic/geographic inequalities; and ways of working between healthcare teams.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Health system factors associated with diagnostic stage were identified across centers and participant groups that could inform service changes to support earlier stage diagnosis of HNC.</p>","PeriodicalId":55072,"journal":{"name":"Head and Neck-Journal for the Sciences and Specialties of the Head and Neck","volume":" ","pages":"2849-2862"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13595473/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147870394","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Comprehensive Immune Checkpoint Phenotype Predicts Response and Survival to PD-1 Blockade in Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.","authors":"Mathias Fiedler, Lea Baumann, Jonas Eichberger, Maximilian Gottsauner, Johannes G Schuderer, Daniela Schulz, Johannes K Meier, Richard J Bauer, Hendrik Poeck, Matthias Grube, Michael Gerken, Torsten E Reichert, Florian Weber, Tobias Ettl","doi":"10.1002/hed.70313","DOIUrl":"10.1002/hed.70313","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Predictive biomarkers for response to PD-1 blockade in recurrent or metastatic HNSCC remain limited. We investigated whether coordinated expression of multiple inhibitory immune checkpoints defines a clinically relevant biomarker phenotype.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Clinical and immunohistochemical data from 78 patients with recurrent or metastatic HNSCC treated with nivolumab or pembrolizumab were retrospectively analyzed. Expression of PD-L1, LAG-3, TIM-3, and IDO1 on tumor-infiltrating immune cells was assessed. A composite immune checkpoint phenotype was defined by concurrent immune-cell expression of these markers. Associations with treatment response and survival were analyzed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The composite immune checkpoint phenotype was observed in 10.1% of tumors and was strongly associated with objective response (p < 0.001), disease control (p = 0.006), and improved overall, disease-specific, and progression-free survival (all p ≤ 0.030). In multivariable analysis, this phenotype independently predicted overall (p = 0.031) and disease-specific survival (p = 0.011).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Coordinated expression of multiple inhibitory immune checkpoints identifies an inflamed tumor microenvironment associated with improved outcomes following PD-1 blockade in HNSCC.</p>","PeriodicalId":55072,"journal":{"name":"Head and Neck-Journal for the Sciences and Specialties of the Head and Neck","volume":" ","pages":"2871-2882"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147870421","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Response to Interpreting the Reported Benefits of Virtual Surgical Planning in Mandibular Osteoradionecrosis Reconstruction.","authors":"Timothy Ping-Juei Liu, Andrew Schache, Richard Shaw","doi":"10.1002/hed.70384","DOIUrl":"10.1002/hed.70384","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":55072,"journal":{"name":"Head and Neck-Journal for the Sciences and Specialties of the Head and Neck","volume":" ","pages":"2945-2946"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148406796","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Neoadjuvant Anlotinib Plus Paclitaxel-Cisplatin for Technically Resectable Locally Advanced Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Prospective Single-Arm Phase II Study.","authors":"Ran Xu, Meng-Jie Huang, Zhen-Hua Jiang, Lei Liu, Li-Jun Zhang, Shuang Zhang, Ji-Fang Luo, Jing Yuan","doi":"10.1002/hed.70501","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/hed.70501","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Technically resectable locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma may require highly morbid surgery. We evaluated short-course neoadjuvant anlotinib plus paclitaxel-cisplatin as a signal-generating strategy.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Twenty-one patients received two 21-day cycles in a prospective, single-arm Phase II study. The primary endpoint was RECIST 1.1 objective response rate; pathological response and surgical extent were exploratory.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Objective response rate was 66.7% (14/21; 95% CI, 43.0%-85.4%), meeting the prespecified activity criterion. Eight patients underwent surgery; all achieved R0 resection, 5/8 achieved major pathological response, and 4/8 underwent less extensive resection than initially planned. Documented adverse events were mainly Grade 1, including one Grade 1 hypertension controlled with levamlodipine and one Grade 2 primary-tumor bleeding event; proteinuria was not systematically captured.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The regimen generated antitumor activity and surgical feasibility signals but does not establish anlotinib benefit beyond TP or functional preservation.</p><p><strong>Trial registration: </strong>Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR2100046440.</p>","PeriodicalId":55072,"journal":{"name":"Head and Neck-Journal for the Sciences and Specialties of the Head and Neck","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149118870","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Time to Rethink Pathology Reporting in Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma.","authors":"Luigi Lorini, Emily Governini, Armando Di Bello, Silvia Uccella, Martina Iuzzolino, Carlo Resteghini, Paolo Bossi","doi":"10.1002/hed.70493","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/hed.70493","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To propose a practical, biologically informed pathology reporting framework for adenoid cystic carcinoma (AdCC) that integrates conventional morphology with selective biomarker assessment.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A narrative review of current pathological reporting standards, emerging proteogenomic evidence, and clinically relevant biomarkers was performed. Based on available evidence, a stepwise reporting strategy was developed in which routine histopathological evaluation remains the foundation, while additional immunohistochemical and molecular analyses are selectively recommended for high-risk or clinically relevant cases.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>Conventional morphology accurately establishes the diagnosis but does not fully capture the biological heterogeneity and complexity of AdCC. A selective biological addendum including MYC, p63, B7-H4, TROP2, Nectin-4, and selected molecular analyses may improve biological stratification, optimize tissue stewardship, and identify patients eligible for biomarker-driven therapeutic trials.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Morphology should remain the cornerstone of AdCC pathology reporting while guiding selective biological characterization to support precision oncology and future clinical trial enrollment.</p>","PeriodicalId":55072,"journal":{"name":"Head and Neck-Journal for the Sciences and Specialties of the Head and Neck","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149082916","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Thin Thoracodorsal Artery Perforator Free Flap for Scalp Resurfacing After Malignant Skin Tumor Excision.","authors":"Daihun Kang, Suein Lee, Seung Eun Hong, Youn Hwan Kim","doi":"10.1002/hed.70490","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/hed.70490","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Scalp defects after malignant tumor excision often require free tissue transfer for durable coverage. The thoracodorsal artery perforator (TDAP) flap remains underused despite its suitability for thin elevation.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Fourteen patients (6 men, 8 women; mean age 62 years) treated with a thin TDAP free flap for scalp resurfacing after malignant tumor excision between 2016 and 2026 were retrospectively reviewed. All flaps were performed by a single surgeon at two institutions.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>TDAP elevation was completed in 14 of 16 attempts (87.5%); in 2 patients no reliable perforator was found at exploration and a latissimus dorsi flap was raised instead. Diagnoses included squamous cell carcinoma (6), basal cell carcinoma (3), basosquamous carcinoma (2), and single cases of eccrine porocarcinoma, angiosarcoma, and melanoma. Mean flap area was 97 cm² and pedicle length 9.7 cm; superficial temporal vessels served as recipients, with single-artery, single-vein anastomosis per flap. Mean operative time, including excision, was 134 min. One venous thrombosis was salvaged by re-exploration, one flap showed transient venous congestion that resolved spontaneously, and all 14 flaps survived. Over a mean follow-up of 17 months, one patient with angiosarcoma developed regional and distant recurrence without local recurrence at the reconstructed site.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The thin TDAP free flap is a reliable, efficient, and versatile option for oncologic scalp reconstruction.</p>","PeriodicalId":55072,"journal":{"name":"Head and Neck-Journal for the Sciences and Specialties of the Head and Neck","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149070546","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Surgery After Thermal Ablation of Thyroid Nodules: A Systematic Review of Surgical Risk, Strategy and Pathological Findings.","authors":"Francesco Brucchi, Federica Poli, Beatrice Sperotto, Carla Colombo, Laura Fugazzola, Gianlorenzo Dionigi","doi":"10.1002/hed.70487","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/hed.70487","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Thermal ablation is increasingly used for selected thyroid nodules, but some patients subsequently require thyroidectomy. The effect of prior ablation on surgical risk, operative strategy, and histopathology remains unclear.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were searched from inception to May 2026 for studies reporting surgical and/or histopathological outcomes of thyroidectomy after radiofrequency, laser, or microwave ablation. Cohort studies and case series with at least two patients were included. Data were synthesized descriptively and stratified by ablation indication: benign/indeterminate nodules versus primary papillary thyroid carcinoma.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Nine retrospective studies including 150 patients were included: six on benign/indeterminate nodules (n = 105) and three on primary papillary thyroid carcinoma (n = 45). In benign/indeterminate cases, transient recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy ranged from 0% to 9.7%, transient hypoparathyroidism from 0% to 6.5%, and hematoma requiring reoperation from 0% to 6.5%; no permanent recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy or hypoparathyroidism was reported. Controlled studies showed longer operative times, higher thyroidectomy difficulty scores, and more severe adhesions after ablation, although overall complication rates did not differ significantly. Histopathology showed fibrosis, hyalinization, coagulative necrosis, and treatment-related atypia, potentially complicating assessment of follicular-patterned neoplasms; no carcinoma arising within the ablated zone was identified. In the papillary thyroid carcinoma group, surgical specimens frequently revealed residual tumor and lymph node metastases after ablation used as primary treatment, while oncological follow-up was largely absent. Reporting of surgical strategy and intraoperative adjuncts was inconsistent.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Thyroidectomy after thermal ablation appears feasible in experienced endocrine surgery centers, with low reported permanent morbidity, but may be technically more complex than primary surgery. Current evidence is limited to small, heterogeneous retrospective series and cannot define the true incremental surgical risk, optimal operative strategy, or long-term oncological impact of prior ablation. Prospective multicenter comparative studies with standardized reporting are needed.</p>","PeriodicalId":55072,"journal":{"name":"Head and Neck-Journal for the Sciences and Specialties of the Head and Neck","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149070548","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}