[Intraoperative rapid biopsy of thyroid neoplasms and surgical procedures in atypical adenoma].

For a differential diagnosis of atypical adenoma and highly differentiated follicular carcinoma cryosections are of value only if findings are positive. Between 1977 and 1982 we observed 85 thyroid carcinomas and 47 atypical adenomas. In 5 cases the diagnosis on the basis of a cryosection had failed to detect a carcinoma. In patients with atypical adenoma we performed a subtotal resection; a primary lobectomy was not carried out as it would have meant exposing an unnecessarily high percentage of patients to an increased risk of complications. 3-8 years postoperatively the patients show no pathological findings.