TOTAL THYROIDECTOMY FOR IODINE DEFICIENCY GOITER - AN EFFICIENT TREATMENT

It can be difficult to define the extent of struma resection because o f large multinodular transformation. The total thyroidectomy of goiter is refused due to a supposed increase in complications. A high rate o f goiter recurrence together with higher risks of complications demons trates the problems of insufficient resection. This study investigates the rate of complications of total thyroidectomy of goiter. 4767 surg ical treatments (partial thyroidectomy, hemithyroidectomy or total thy roidectomy) of goiter were investigated. Retrospectively the rate of p ostoperative complications (hemorrhage, wound infection, recurrent ner ve palsy, hypocalcemia) after strumectomy or hemithyroidectomy was ana lysed in our patients and compared with the data of the literature. To tal thyroidectomy (n = 176) did not cause a higher rate of complicatio ns (hemorrhage: 0.6%, hypocalcemia: 0.6%; recurrent nerve palsy: 0.6%) compared to the control group and the literature. Thus, total thyroid ectomy can offer an efficient therapeutic option in large multinodular goiter.