Tratamiento quirúrgico de los bocios difusos hipertiroideos: experiencia del hospital de Valdivia / Surgical treatment of diffuse hyperthyroid goiter: experience at Valdivia hospital

The charts of 64 patients, 54 female, aged between 15 and 57 years old, operated between 1985 and 1995 were analyzed. The indication for surgical treatment was failure of medical treatment in 59 patients and a big goiter causing mechanical compression in 3 patients. A subtotal thyroidectomy was done after an abbreviated surgical preparation. The mean weight of the resected glands was 65.9 g. Four patients had transient hypocalcemia and 4 had surgical wound seromas. After a mean follow up of 31 months, 77 percent of patients remain euthyroid, hyperthyroidism relapsed in 13.1 percent and 10 percent became hypothyroid. Surgical treatment of hyperthyroid goiter is safe but the percentage of hyperfunction relapse is high