Morbidity of secondary thyroidectomy in patients with prior thyroid surgery for benign disease

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