In reply
We thank Terris and Seybt for their interest and their letter regarding our recent publication in the Archives.1 The impetus for our study was to determine, using validated scar analysis methods, whether there was a statistically significant benefit of using minimally invasive techniques instead of conventional techniques in regard to patient satisfaction with scar result as well as to evaluate how these results compared with scar assessments performed by third-party viewers. Having performed many minimally invasive endocrine operations over the years, and having extolled the cosmetic benefits to patients and colleagues, we were quite surprised when our study revealed that although observers were more readily able to point out the larger neck scars, the patients themselves did not seem to notice any benefit or improved satisfaction with smaller scars.