It is well known thatPTCcan recur in the 10 yr after diagnosis
and surgical resection. It is therefore necessary to have a longer
follow-up period before drawing any final conclusions regarding
MIVAT treatment. The first 5 yr after PTC diagnosis and the
initial treatment, however, is when the highest risk of recurrence
typically occurs (25). In our series, recurrence did not occur in
either MIVAT or conventionally treated PTC patients within 5
yr. Taking into account thatPTCpatients in the present series are
primarily low-risk patients (89% of the present series), the absence
of recurrence in 5 yr led us to believe that recurrence will
not occur in the future. On the basis of these considerations, we
feel comfortable in considering theMIVATtechnique as effective
as conventional thyroidectomy, at least in the treatment of lowor
intermediate-risk PTC patients.