Nontoxic goitre. I. Surgical complications and longterm prognosis.

In the period 1960-1968, 182 patients underwent surgery for nontoxic goitre at Roskilde County Hospital. The total frequency of peroperative complications was 10%. After a mean interval of 16.4 years, 162 of the patients could be followed up and 86% expressed satisfaction with the result of thyroid surgery. Only two patients (1.2%) had longterm sequelae in the form of voice problems and calcium requirements. No thyroid cancer appeared in the observation period. In 19% there was recurrence of benign goitre. The interval to recurrence was 1 month to 14 years.