The medical records of 87 patients with thyroid nodule treated from may 1992 to
February 1996 were retrospectively reviewed to assess complication with age, sex, pathologic
classification, location of lesions, and surgical procedures. The overall rate of complication
were observed 10(11.5%) in thyroid surgery. The most common complication was transient
hypoparathyroidism, which occurred in 6(6.9%) of 87 patients. The 2(2.3%) patients
experienced permanent hypoparathyroidism and each 1(1.1%) patient was reported in transient
recurent laryngeal nerve paralysis and hematoma..
Well-performed thyroid surgery usually produces few complications. More extensive
resections, involving bilateral thyroidectomy are associated with a higther of postoperative
morbidity, in particular vocal cord paralysis and hypoparathyroidism, than procedures that
consist essentially of unilateral thyroidectomy.
Our experience suggests that the postoperative complecation resates primarily tothe surgical
procedure. The low incidence of permanent complications in thyroid durgery suggests the
feasibility of total thyroidectomy as the operation of choice when thyroid nodules were
malignant and surgeons are familiar with the technique and indications.
|