Unlike other global local multi-stage procedures developed in the past, the proposed method is solved as a simplified one-stage procedure.
Following Huang et al. (2014), we use two-stage procedures to address the potential endogeneity issue.
Such multi-stage procedures are formalized via the unified algorithmic scheme presented in Table 1.
Two-stage procedures might be appropriate if primary stability does not seem to be achievable.
Oncological outcomes and postoperative complications of TSH are favorable compared with one-stage procedures [1, 10].
Both one-stage and two-stage procedures have their advantages and disadvantages.
The same staging procedures were used for all the patients.
If distant metastases were suspected, further appropriate staging procedures were performed.
Staging procedures included a physical examination, chest radiography, ultrasonography and computerized tomography of the abdomen.
Patients requiring staged procedures will be excluded.
