SKIMS Performs Jammu Kashmir’s First Scar-Free Thyroid Surgery, Marks Surgical First | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: The Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences has carried out Jammu and Kashmir’s first-ever scar-free, minimally invasive thyroid surgery, marking a significant step in the region’s advanced surgical capabilities.

In a statement issued here, SKIMS said the procedure involved a remote-access minimally invasive technique to remove the thyroid gland without leaving a visible scar on the neck. The surgery was performed by the Department of General and Minimal Invasive Surgery under the leadership of Prof Ajaz Ahmad Malik, Head of the Department and the Endocrine and Breast Surgery Division.

The technique, which is considered technically demanding, avoids the conventional neck incision and is aimed at reducing postoperative trauma while improving cosmetic and recovery outcomes. According to the institute, the department has so far completed more than 25 endoscopic thyroidectomies using a modified version of this remote-access approach.

What distinguishes the procedure, SKIMS said, is that it relies on standard laparoscopic instruments rather than specialised and expensive equipment typically required for such surgeries. This, the institute claims, significantly reduces costs and makes the procedure more accessible. Surgeries of this nature usually cost several lakhs of rupees outside the region.

Director SKIMS and EOSG Prof M Ashraf Ganie congratulated the surgical team and said such developments reflected the institute’s focus on expanding advanced yet patient-oriented care. He added that the introduction of scar-free thyroid surgery would help bring high-end surgical procedures closer to patients in Jammu and Kashmir.

Prof Malik said the focus of the team had been on developing techniques that combine advanced outcomes with affordability. He noted that patients undergoing the procedure benefit from the absence of a neck scar, reduced pain, shorter hospital stays and faster recovery.

The surgery was carried out by a team that included Prof Munir Wani, Dr Gowhar Aziz, Dr Bilal A Wagay and Dr Azher Mushtaq, with anaesthesia support led by Prof Shoukat Ahmad Gurcoo and a team of consultant anaesthetists.

SKIMS also pointed out that its Division of Endocrine and Breast Surgery is currently the fifth centre in the country offering an MCh programme in Endocrine Surgery, a development it said underlined its growing role in specialised surgical training and innovation.