Surgical techniques for benign goiter

For surgical therapy of benign thyroid diseases several different procedure s are available. The specific use of these techniques depends on the partic ular morphologic and functional findings. Tissue that is benign is left in place as far as possible - pathologically changed tissue has to be removed. Practicable operation techniques are: excision or enucleation of solitary thyroid nodule, upper or lower pole resection, subtotal resection, near tot al resection and hemithyroidectomy.