ABSTRACT
The goal of this study was to evaluate the complication rate of secondary thyroidectomy in patients with prior thyroid surgery for benign disease Over more than 4-year period 80 thyroid reoperations were performed in Al-Hussain University Hospital. All information related to operative procedures, pathology, and complications were recorded prospectively. There Were 14 men and 66 women with a mean age of 48 years. Prior surgery was unilateralin48 patients [60%] and bilateral in 32 patients [40%], and 6 patients [7.5%] had more than one previous thyroid operation. For euthyroid recurrent nodular goiter, 73 reoperations [9l%] were performed and 7 reoperations were performed for recurrent thyrotoxicosis [9%], Six cancers were found [7.5%]. Completion : thyroidectomy was done in 50 patients [62.3%]. Postoperative complications occurred in 11 patients [14%] recurrent, laryngeal nerve palsy [3 patients], hypocalcemia [4 patients], hematoma requiring surgical evacuation [one patient], and wound infection [3 patients]. Complications remained permanent in 2 patients [2.5%] The permanent complication rate is slightly higher in thyroid reoperations than in primary thyroid operations. However, we believe that this 2.5% rate is low enough to allow reoperation whenever it is necessary, provided precise operative rules are respected