Operative management of thyroid disease. Technical considerations in a residency training program.

Experience with 294 thyroid operations at Medical Center Hospital as performed by resident housestaff in general surgery has been reported. Operative results were consistent with the morbidity and mortality figures from large reviews. The importance of an active role for surgical housestaff in the operative management of thyroid disease is emphasized. With close supervision and attention to intraoperative identification of the recurrent laryngeal nerves and parathyroid glands, satisfactory results can be achieved.