Technology and health care : official journal of the European Society for Engineering and Medicine | 2021
Wireless parathyroid detection device using autofluorescence and smart glasses: A preliminary study.
Abstract
BACKGROUND\nAutofluorescence imaging technology has been utilized for preserving or identifying parathyroid glands (PTGs) during thyroid surgery. We developed a wireless PTGs detection device linked with smart glasses that allows for real-time video recording and screen switching according to the light source.\n\n\nOBJECTIVE\nThis study aimed to confirm the feasibility of the device and whether it would help preserve the PTG during the surgery.\n\n\nMETHODS\nThis prospective study was conducted in 30 patients with 66 PTGs. The device s agreement with the physician s judgment was evaluated, and we determined how many PTGs were preserved from thyroidectomy.\n\n\nRESULTS\nThe positive agreement rate for PTGs detection between the surgeon and device was 70.9%. Inadvertent parathyroidectomy was identified in surgical specimens of 6 patients (20%). No PTG was removed when it was confirmed by the device (0/39). Of the 27 glands not detected by the device, there was inadvertent removal of 6 PTGs.\n\n\nCONCLUSIONS\nPTGs can be preserved successfully when the detection of them by the device is consistent with the surgeon s discretion. A large-scale controlled study is necessary to demonstrate the practical effect of this device on hypoparathyroidism after thyroidectomy.