BACKGROUND: The goal of this study was to evaluate the complication rate of secondary thyroidectomy in patients with prior thyroid surgery for benign disease. METHODS: Over an 8-year period, 203 thyroid reoperations were performed on 202 patients. All information relating to operative procedures, pathology, and complications was recorded prospectively. RESULTS: There were 24 men and 178 women with a mean age of 52 years. Prior surgery was unilateral in 136 cases (67%) and bilateral in 67 cases (33%), and 14 patients (6.9%) had more than 1 previous thyroid operation. For euthyroid or pretoxic recurrent nodular goiter, 190 reoperations were performed and 13 reoperations were performed for recurrent thyrotoxicosis. Twenty-three cancers were found in a specimen (11.4%). Completion thyroidectomy was done in 143 patients. Postoperative complications occurred in 21 patients (10.4%): recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy (7 patients), hypocalcemia (8 patients), hematoma requiring surgical evacuation (5 patients), and wound infection (1 patient). Complications remained permanent in 4 patients (2%). CONCLUSIONS: The permanent complication rate is higher in thyroid reoperations than in primary thyroid operations. However, we believe that this 2% rate is low enough to allow reoperation whenever it is necessary, provided precise operative rules are respected.
BACKGROUND: The goal of this study was to evaluate the complication rate of secondary thyroidectomy in patients with prior thyroid surgery for benign disease. METHODS: Over an 8-year period, 203 thyroid reoperations were performed on 202 patients. All information relating to operative procedures, pathology, and complications was recorded prospectively. RESULTS: There were 24 men and 178 women with a mean age of 52 years. Prior surgery was unilateral in 136 cases (67%) and bilateral in 67 cases (33%), and 14 patients (6.9%) had more than 1 previous thyroid operation. For euthyroid or pretoxic recurrent nodular goiter, 190 reoperations were performed and 13 reoperations were performed for recurrent thyrotoxicosis. Twenty-three cancers were found in a specimen (11.4%). Completion thyroidectomy was done in 143 patients. Postoperative complications occurred in 21 patients (10.4%): recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy (7 patients), hypocalcemia (8 patients), hematoma requiring surgical evacuation (5 patients), and wound infection (1 patient). Complications remained permanent in 4 patients (2%). CONCLUSIONS: The permanent complication rate is higher in thyroid reoperations than in primary thyroid operations. However, we believe that this 2% rate is low enough to allow reoperation whenever it is necessary, provided precise operative rules are respected.
Authors: Antonio Ríos; José M Rodríguez; Pedro J Galindo; Juan Torres; Manuel Canteras; María D Balsalobre; Pascual Parrilla Journal: Surg Today Date: 2008-05-31 Impact factor: 2.549
Authors: M R Pelizzo; M Variolo; C Bernardi; M Izuzquiza; A Piotto; G Grassetto; P M Colletti; I Merante Boschin; D Rubello Journal: Endocrine Date: 2014-03-11 Impact factor: 3.633
Authors: Luiz C Conti de Freitas; Eimear Phelan; Linbo Liu; Joseph Gardecki; Eman Namati; Willian C Warger; Guillermo J Tearney; Gregory W Randolph Journal: Head Neck Date: 2013-11-21 Impact factor: 3.147
Authors: Antonio Ríos; José M Rodríguez; María D Balsalobre; Nuria M Torregrosa; Francisco J Tebar; Pascual Parrilla Journal: Surg Today Date: 2005 Impact factor: 2.549