O. Thomusch et al., Quality assurance study for thyroid surgery. First comparing results of the quality assurance study, ZBL CHIR, 125, 2000, pp. 192-195
In 1998 the East German Association for Quality Securing of Surgery perform
ed a study to evaluate the standard of performance of surgical treatment fo
r benign goiter. In total, 46 hospitals participated and 6029 operations co
uld be analysed. The documentation was based on a detailed registration she
et and recorded items of preoperative complaints, diagnostic procedures, in
traoperative findings with operative strategy, postoperative complications
and definitive histology. All hospitals were divided into three groups rega
rding their number of surgical performances for benign goiter (< 50 operati
ons, 50-150 operations, > 150 operations) to assess their training and expe
rtise. Indications for surgical treatment were similar in all three groups
with 78 % for multinodular goiter and 19 % for uninodular goiter. There was
no statistical difference in distribution for M. Basedow, recurrent goiter
or thyroid carcinoma. Hospitals with more than 150 operations per year for
benign goiter performed statistical significant more extended procedures w
ith routinely preparation of the laryngeal recurrent nerve and parathyroid
glands. There was no statistical significant difference regarding postopera
tive complications. Because of the not finished check up (follow up 6 month
s postoperative), results for temporary nerve palsies (3.9 %) and temporary
hypoparathyroidism (6.3 %) could only be stated.