The Department of General Surgery, in collaboration with the Departments of Anatomy and Otolaryngology at SRM Medical College Hospital & Research Centre, organised the Thyroidectomy Workshop 2025 on 18th and 19th July 2025. This meticulously structured two-day workshop was curated to address the growing need for advanced training in thyroid surgery, particularly for postgraduate medical trainees and early-career surgeons.
The thyroid gland’s complex anatomy, with its intimate relationship to the recurrent laryngeal nerves and parathyroid glands, demands a high level of surgical precision. Recognising this, the organising committee—Dr. Nitin M. Nagarkar (Organising Chairman & Pro Vice Chancellor, SRMIST), Dr. Tharun Ganapathy C. (Organising Secretary, General Surgery), and Dr. Soundarapandian S. (Organising Secretary, Anatomy) designed a comprehensive three-tier training module comprising structured lectures, live surgical demonstrations, and hands-on cadaveric dissection.
Day 1 – Scientific Sessions and Live Surgeries (18th July 2025)
The workshop began with registration and a structured lecture series that covered fundamental and advanced topics in thyroid surgery. The scientific sessions were chaired by a panel of esteemed faculty and delivered by national-level experts.
Morning Lecture Series Highlights:
1. Applied Anatomy of the Thyroid Gland
Speaker: Dr. S. Soundarapandian, HOD, Department of Anatomy
Chairpersons: Prof. Selvaraj, Prof. Vivekanandan Subramanianathan, Prof. PB Sudarshan, Prof. Balaji, Dr. Sundeep Kumaran
2. Applied Physiology of the Thyroid Gland
Speaker: Dr. Athira Gopinathan, Professor, Department of General Surgery
3. Benign Thyroid Disorders
Speaker: Dr. Saivishnupriya Vittal, Senior Consultant, Endocrine and Breast Surgery, Apollo Main Hospital, Chennai
4. Malignant Thyroid Disorders
Speaker: Dr. PB Sudarshan, Professor of Surgery, Saveetha Medical College
Chairpersons: Prof. Ravinthar, Prof. EP Kishore Babu, Prof. CRK Balaji, Dr. Aadarsh Raghavan, Dr. Lokesh Reddy
5. Standard Thyroidectomy
Speaker: Dr. R. Ramprakash, Assistant Professor, Department of General Surgery
6. Difficult Thyroidectomy
Speaker: Dr. M.P. Kumaran, Endocrine Surgeon, Madras Medical College
Chairpersons: Prof. Muralidharan, Prof. Vikram Yogish, Dr. Saivishnupriya Vittal, Dr. Sabari Girieasen
7. Post-Thyroidectomy RLN Injury: Management
Speaker: Dr. CRK Balaji, HOD, Department of Otolaryngology
8. Minimal Invasive Thyroidectomy
Speaker: Dr. Tharun Ganapathy, HOD, Department of General Surgery
Following a brief recess, an engaging Postgraduate Quiz was conducted to foster academic interaction among delegates. This was followed by the formal inauguration ceremony, graced by:
●Dr. Nitin M. Nagarkar, Pro Vice Chancellor and Dean i/c, MHS
●Dr. P. Sathyanarayanan, Hon’ble Pro-Chancellor (Academics)
●Dr. V.P. Chandrasekaran, COO, SRM Global Hospitals
●Dr. J.S. Kumar, Associate Dean (PG Academics)
●Dr. K.V. Leela, Associate Dean (UG Academics)
Keynote Lecture:
“Minimally Invasive Thyroidectomy – Robotic-Assisted Axillo Breast Insufflation Thyroidectomy (RABIT)”
Speaker: Dr. Sandeep Nayak, HOD, Surgical Oncology, Fortis Hospital, Bangalore
Panel: Prof. Nitin M. Nagarkar, Prof. Muralidharan, Dr. Saivishnupriya Vittal, Dr. Kumaran MP
Afternoon Session – Live Surgical Demonstrations:
An elaborate live operative session showcased advanced surgical techniques:
●Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy Vestibular Approach (TOETVA)
●Hemithyroidectomy for Solitary Thyroid Nodule
●Total Thyroidectomy for both Benign and Malignant Thyroid Disorders
●Sistrunk Procedure for Thyroglossal Cysts
Operating Faculty:
●Dr. C.D. Narayanan, HOD, General Surgery, Sri Ramachandra Medical College
●Dr. Sivakumar, Director, Siva Hospitals, Nagercoil
●Dr. Tharun Ganapathy, HOD, General Surgery, SRM
●Dr. Sabari Girieasen, General Surgery, Madras Medical College
Supporting Faculty & Panelists:
Prof. Naveen Alexander, Prof. Selvaraj, Prof. Sunitha, Prof. Vivekanandan Subramanianathan, Dr. L. Ashokan, Dr. Kumaran MP, Dr. Anirudh Rajkumar, Dr. Aadarsh Raghavan, Dr. Lokesh Reddy, Dr. R. Vignesh, Prof. Athira Gopinathan, Dr. Sivamarieswaran, Dr. Ramprakash
A spirited PG Quiz discussion session concluded the day, enriching the academic atmosphere.
Day 2 – Cadaveric Dissection Workshop (19th July 2025)
The second day featured a hands-on cadaveric workshop, offering an unmatched learning opportunity for a limited number of participants. Ten well-equipped stations were set up to simulate real-time dissection and procedural learning. The workshop emphasised:
●Embryology and surgical anatomy of the thyroid
●Techniques for standard, difficult, and minimally invasive thyroidectomy
●Anatomical identification and preservation of critical structures like the recurrent laryngeal nerve and parathyroids
Each group was guided by experienced faculty members to ensure close mentorship and supervised technical refinement.
With its dynamic blend of structured academics, surgical demonstration, and skill-building exercises, the Thyroidectomy Workshop 2025 proved to be a landmark event. It not only strengthened core surgical competencies among postgraduate trainees but also facilitated inter-institutional academic exchange.
What made this workshop truly exceptional was that it was not just one of a kind, but the first of its kind at SRM Medical College Hospital & Research Centre—an initiative that seamlessly blended anatomical sciences, surgical precision, and technological innovation under one academic platform.
This pioneering effort underscored the institution’s commitment to pushing boundaries—not only in delivering quality medical care but also in shaping the future of surgical education. The Department of General Surgery, through its leadership and collaboration, continues to position SRM Medical College as a beacon for academic excellence and surgical innovation.
