Endocrine Surgery: Historical Pearls and How to Best Prepare for Cases

Endocrine surgery is a subspecialty of general surgery that primarily focuses on diseases of the thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenal glands, with gastrointestinal and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors included at select institutions. Operative indications include both benign and malignant etiologies with surgical approaches including open, laparoscopic, robotic, and remote access techniques. The history of endocrine surgery is rich with contributions from some of surgery’s greatest icons. Its illustrious path has evolved from a once feared and condemned operation, in the case of thyroidectomies, to minimally invasive, often ambulatory procedures with excellent outcomes in the hands of high-volume specialists.