[Thyroid and parathyroid surgery: is the medial approach truly elective? Technique and advantage of the lateral approach].

The authors describe the lateral approach technique in thyroid and parathyroid surgery which they consider the elective one. They also illustrate the advantages in dissection of laryngeal nerves and parathyroids, as well in difficult situations. They used it from 1984 to 1994 systematically in 1165 patients, 764 operated for thyroid pathology and 401 for parathyroid. No damage linked to the technique was observed.