Lee Jin-wook leads first robotic thyroid surgeries in Switzerland

Lee Jin-wook, head of the Thyroid Cancer Center at Ain Hospital, led the first robotic thyroid surgeries in Switzerland at the University Hospital Zurich. During a visit from August 10 to 12, Lee and his surgical team provided hands-on training to local medical staff using the Da Vinci Xi robot.

The training focused on the Bilateral Axillo-Breast Approach (BABA), a method designed to minimize scarring. The session included the supervision of four robotic thyroid surgery cases. Following the clinical training, Lee was invited to deliver a Grand Round lecture at the University of Zurich titled ‘Robot Thyroid Surgery: Beyond the Scar’, where he discussed surgical techniques and methods for preserving critical structures like the parathyroid glands and vocal cords.

This exchange follows a previous visit in June and July, when two medical professionals from the University Hospital Zurich traveled to Ain Hospital in South Korea to observe and receive systematic training in robotic thyroid surgery. Both institutions have agreed to continue academic and educational cooperation. Lee expressed intentions to expand future training to include Single Port Robotic Approach (SPRA) using the Da Vinci SP system.