About Prof. Fan Youben
Prof. Fan Youben (樊友本) is a Chief Physician (主任医师), Professor, and Doctoral Supervisor in the Department of General Surgery at Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital, affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University. He serves simultaneously as Director of the Thyroid, Breast & Hernia Surgery Center, Executive Director of the Shanghai Jiao Tong University Thyroid Disease Diagnosis and Treatment Center, and Director of the Hernia Center at Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital — a concentration of leadership roles that reflects his standing as one of Shanghai's most accomplished surgical innovators in this specialty.
Prof. Fan is a nationally and internationally recognized pioneer in minimally invasive thyroid surgery. He is the originator of two landmark surgical innovations: the single-port, single-channel endoscopic thyroid/parathyroid surgery via unilateral areola approach — a technique he developed and first performed globally — and transoral thyroid cancer surgery, another world-first contribution that has since been adopted and refined by centers internationally. These innovations have established Prof. Fan as a defining figure in the global evolution of scarless thyroid surgery.
In 2020, Prof. Fan was awarded the Shanghai Science and Technology Progress Award (First Prize) as the primary contributor — one of the highest scientific honors in Shanghai — in recognition of his contributions to thyroid surgery innovation. He holds leadership positions in multiple national professional committees under the Chinese Medical Association and Chinese Medical Doctor Association, and has authored or co-authored several national expert consensus documents on thyroid disease diagnosis and treatment.
Clinical Expertise
- Pioneering scarless thyroid surgery — originator of single-port endoscopic thyroid/parathyroid surgery via unilateral areola (single incision hidden at the areola margin, no neck scar) and transoral thyroid cancer surgery (incisions inside the mouth, completely invisible externally)
- Thyroid cancer surgery — 300+ thyroid cancer operations performed; total thyroidectomy, hemithyroidectomy, and neck dissection with extremely low complication rates; renowned for minimally invasive cosmetic outcomes
- Parathyroid surgery — minimally invasive parathyroidectomy for primary, secondary, and tertiary hyperparathyroidism using the same scarless endoscopic approaches developed for thyroid surgery
- Thyroid nodule management — evidence-based evaluation and surgical decision-making for benign and malignant thyroid nodules, including active surveillance protocols for low-risk papillary microcarcinoma
- Hernia and abdominal wall surgery — thousands of hernia operations performed; laparoscopic and open repair of inguinal, umbilical, incisional, and complex abdominal wall hernias
- Breast surgery — surgical management of breast tumors within the integrated thyroid, breast, and hernia center
Why Prof. Fan Youben?
For patients who prioritize scarless surgery — whether for cosmetic reasons, professional considerations, or simply the desire to avoid a visible reminder of their cancer diagnosis — Prof. Fan is one of the most qualified surgeons in the world. He did not merely adopt scarless thyroid surgery techniques developed elsewhere; he invented two of them. His single-port areola approach and transoral thyroid cancer surgery represent original contributions to surgical science that have been published, presented internationally, and replicated by other centers — a level of innovation that is rare in any surgical specialty.
His track record of 300+ thyroid cancer operations with extremely low complication rates — including very low rates of recurrent laryngeal nerve injury and hypoparathyroidism — demonstrates that his minimally invasive approaches achieve not just cosmetic superiority but genuine oncological and safety equivalence to conventional open surgery. The Shanghai Science and Technology Progress Award (First Prize) he received in 2020 as primary contributor is an independent, peer-reviewed validation of the significance and quality of his work.
For international patients from the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and other regions where visible surgical scars carry particular social or cultural significance, Prof. Fan's scarless thyroid surgery program offers a genuinely differentiated option that is not available at most centers worldwide.
Hospital: Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital
Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital is a major academic medical center affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University, with particular strengths in orthopedics, endocrinology, and general surgery. The Thyroid, Breast & Hernia Surgery Center — directed by Prof. Fan — is a dedicated subspecialty center with advanced endoscopic and robotic surgical infrastructure, intraoperative nerve monitoring, and a multidisciplinary team for complex thyroid and parathyroid cases. The hospital's endocrinology department provides close collaboration for pre- and post-operative thyroid function management and radioactive iodine therapy coordination.
About Scarless Thyroid Surgery
Conventional open thyroidectomy leaves a horizontal scar on the front of the neck — typically 4–8 cm in length — that is visible and permanent. For many patients, particularly younger women, this scar is a significant concern. Scarless thyroid surgery eliminates this by using remote access approaches:
- Transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA): three small incisions inside the lower lip; completely invisible externally; suitable for tumors ≤4 cm without lateral lymph node metastases
- Single-port areola approach (Prof. Fan's innovation): single incision at the areola margin, hidden by the natural pigmentation boundary; suitable for thyroid and parathyroid surgery
- Transaxillary robotic thyroidectomy: single incision in the axilla; da Vinci robotic system provides magnified 3D visualization
- Oncological equivalence: high-volume studies confirm equivalent oncological outcomes to open surgery when performed by experienced surgeons at dedicated centers
- Complication rates: recurrent laryngeal nerve injury and hypoparathyroidism rates at high-volume scarless surgery centers are comparable to or lower than open surgery rates at lower-volume centers
What to Prepare Before Your Consultation
To enable Prof. Fan's team to conduct a thorough remote case review, international patients should prepare:
- Neck ultrasound report with TI-RADS scoring and measurements of all nodules and lymph nodes
- FNA cytology report (Bethesda classification) if biopsy has been performed
- CT scan of the neck and chest with contrast (for locally advanced or metastatic disease)
- Thyroid function tests: TSH, free T4, free T3
- Tumor markers: thyroglobulin (Tg) and anti-Tg antibodies; calcitonin and CEA for medullary thyroid cancer
- Genetic testing results if available (RET, BRAF, RAS mutations)
- Prior surgical or treatment records if previously operated
- Photographs of the neck area if the patient has specific cosmetic concerns to discuss
How CMCS Can Help
China Medical Concierge Shanghai (CMCS) coordinates access to Prof. Fan Youben and the Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Thyroid, Breast & Hernia Surgery Center for international patients. Our services include:
- Remote case review and pre-consultation assessment before you travel
- Priority appointment scheduling with Prof. Fan's team
- Full translation of ultrasound reports, pathology, and treatment plans
- In-hospital accompaniment by a dedicated English-speaking case manager
- Accommodation, airport transfer, and logistics coordination in Shanghai
- Post-discharge follow-up and remote consultation support after returning home
Contact us to begin your case review:
📧 contract@medicalsh.com
💬 WhatsApp: https://wa.me/message/3AM6KAGCW2BAD1
🌐 www.medicalsh.com
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