SURGICAL-TREATMENT OF HYPERTHYROID GOITER

Background: The choice of medical, radiation or surgical therapy for h yperthyroid diffuse goiter is still empirical. Aim: To report a retros pective analysis of the surgical treatment of hyperthyroid goiter in a Regional Hospital in Chile. Patients and methods: The charts of 64 pa tients, 54 female, aged between 15 and 57 years old, operated between 1985 and 1995 were analyzed. Results: The indication for surgical trea tment was failure of medical treatment in 59 patients and a big goiter causing mechanical compression in 3 patients. A subtotal thyroidectom y was done after an abbreviated surgical preparation. The mean weight of the resected glands was 65.9 g. Four patients had transient hypocal cemia and 4 had surgical wound seromas. After a mean follow up of 31 m onths, 77% of patients remain euthyroid, hyperthyroidism relapsed in 1 3.1% and 10% became hypothyroid. Conclusions: Surgical treatment of hy perthyroid goiter is safe but the percentage of hyperfunction relapse is high.