Analysis and retreatment on postoperative recurrence of benign thyroid nodules / 中国普通外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the factors associated with postoperative recurrence of benign thyroid nodules and its retreatment. Method A retrospective analysis was made on the pathologies, operative indications, and the types of operations in 51 postoperative recurrent cases with benign thyroid nodules in a poriod of 18 years. Result The recurrences were associated with the pathology, number of nodules, the indications and types of primary surgery. Among the 51 cases there were 29 cases with nodular goiter and 22 cases with thyroid adenoma. 21 patients had had simple nodular resection, 16 patients had partial lobe resection, 9 patients had subtotal thyroidectomy and 5 patients had thyroid lobectomy. Among 38 cases receiving reoperation, 19 cases had lobectomy, 3 cases had lobectomy plus opposite subtotal thyroidectomy, 7 cases had subtotal thyroidectomy and 9 cases had bilateral subtotal thyroidectomies without serious postoperative complications. 32 cases were followed up after secondary operation with an average period of 7 years, among which 1 case with multinodular goiter had recurrence. Conclusion Strict restriction on thyroidectomy for patients with mutinodular goiter and giving up simple nodular enucleation could help reduce postoperative recurrence of benign thyroid nodules.