Professor Young-Woo Chang of Korea University Ansan Hospital achieves milestone of 1,000 robotic surgeries, leading advances in next-generation single-port thyroid cancer surgery

Professor Young-Woo Chang of the Division of Breast and Endocrine Surgery at Korea University Ansan Hospital achieved a major personal milestone, surpassing 1,000 robotic surgeries as of December 29, 2025. He performed more than 280 procedures that year alone. His surgical portfolio includes thyroid cancer, adrenal tumors, and parathyroid tumors, with over 850 cases specifically dedicated to robotic thyroid cancer surgery.

In early 2023, Professor Chang gained international recognition by developing the GOSTA (Gas-insufflation One-step Single-port Transaxillary Approach)—a novel robotic surgical technique that distinguishes itself from conventional approaches.

GOSTA involves creating a single incision of approximately 2 cm along the natural crease of the axilla, followed by gas insufflation and insertion of the da Vinci SP (Single-Port) robotic system to perform thyroidectomy. This technique allows surgeons to secure an optimal surgical field without leaving visible scars on the neck, enabling highly precise procedures. Notably, it facilitates the preservation of critical subcutaneous sensory nerves and nerves responsible for vocal cord function, thereby minimizing postoperative pain and complications such as voice changes.

Furthermore, the technique can be applied to lateral neck lymph node dissection in cases where thyroid cancer has metastasized to the lateral cervical region. Traditionally, such high-complexity procedures required incisions exceeding 15 cm in the neck. GOSTA enables these surgeries to be performed through a single axillary incision, maintaining oncological safety while completely avoiding visible neck scars. The technique has been published in the Asian Journal of Surgery, validating its academic and clinical significance.

The clinical outcomes of GOSTA have attracted significant attention both in Korea and internationally. In early 2025, Korea University Ansan Hospital was designated an Epicenter for Single-Port GOSTA Robotic Surgery by Intuitive Surgical Korea, a global leader in robotic surgical systems.

The hospital now offers structured training and observership programs for surgeons from around the world. Through live surgery demonstrations, Professor Chang has actively shared the technique with physicians in Korea, while international surgeons—including those from Italy—have visited the hospital to observe GOSTA procedures firsthand.

“Beyond the milestone of 1,000 cases, what matters most is surgical safety and patient satisfaction,” said Professor Chang. “We have continuously pursued surgical techniques that minimize postoperative scarring and discomfort, and it is highly rewarding to see such strong patient satisfaction.” He added, “We will continue to advance robotic surgery by maintaining surgical precision while further improving patients’ quality of life.”