Objective To observe the effect of modified minimally invasive endoscopic small incision surgery in treatment of thyroid microcarcinoma (TMC).

Methods A total of 108 patients with TMC were selected as the research subjects and randomly divided into control group and study group, with 54 patients in each group. The control group was treated with conventional endoscopic thyroidectomy, while the study group received modified minimally invasive endoscopic small incision surgery. The perioperative conditions, levels of inflammatory and stress factorsinterleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), malondialdehyde (MDA) and cortisol (Cor), expression levels of Wnt/β-cateninpathway indicators, postoperative complication rate, cosmetic effect and postoperative recurrence rate were compared between the two groups.

Results The operation time, hospitalization time and postoperative drainage volume in the study group were shorter or less than those in the control group (P < 0.05). On the 1st and 3rd days after surgery, the serum levels of IL-6, CRP, MDA and Cor in the study group were lower than those in the control group, with statistically significant differences (P < 0.05). On the 1st and 3rd postoperative days, the expression levels of Wnt1 mRNA and β-catenin mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of the study group were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the complication rate and postoperative recurrence rate between the two groups (P>0.05). The cosmetic satisfaction rate in the study group was 90.74%, which was higher than 75.93% in the control group, indicating a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05).

Conclusion The use of modified minimally invasive endoscopic small incision surgery in the treatment of TMC patients can effectively relieve surgical trauma, significantly reduce the levels of inflammatory and stress factors in a short time after surgery, inhibit the activity of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, and improve cosmetic results.