The Minimally Invasive Video-Assisted Thyroidectomy (MIVAT) technique removes the diseased part of the thyroid gland through a small 1.5–2 centimetre incision, using specialized endoscopic optics and delicate surgical instruments. Unlike traditional thyroid surgery, which requires a larger neck incision, the minimally invasive approach significantly reduces tissue damage.
According to the university, the procedure offers several advantages, including less surgical trauma, faster recovery, more precise identification of nerves and blood vessels, and excellent cosmetic results, with only a barely visible scar remaining after surgery.
“The success of our robotic surgery programme is complemented by the continuous expansion of endoscopic and video-assisted procedures across related surgical specialties,” said Dezső Tóth, Director of the Department of Surgery. He added that performing the region’s first MIVAT procedures demonstrates that the clinic’s specialists are applying some of the most advanced surgical techniques available internationally.
Tóth emphasized that the minimally invasive approach not only improves surgical safety but also enhances patients’ quality of life and reduces the length of hospital stays.
The university said members of its endocrine surgery team learned the technique in Pisa, Italy, widely regarded as the global birthplace and leading centre of the MIVAT procedure, where they received hands-on training directly from the developers of the technique.
During the study visit, the surgeons acquired the specialised theoretical knowledge and practical skills necessary to safely introduce the programme in Debrecen.
Ferenc Győry, Assistant Professor and head of the endocrine surgery team, explained that the video-assisted technique allows surgeons to view delicate anatomical structures under high magnification on a monitor, making it easier to preserve the nerves controlling the vocal cords as well as the parathyroid glands.
According to the university, the introduction of MIVAT expands the range of endocrine surgery services available in Debrecen with a world-class treatment option that will provide carefully selected thyroid patients with a gentler, less invasive, and more cosmetically favourable alternative to conventional surgery
(MTI)
