Morbidity of Thyroidectomy

Abstract

A total of 141 patients with various thyroid lesions were operated at surgical unit 1, Jinnah Hospital Lahore from May 1998 to May 2000.The complications of thyroid surgery are discussed. Male to female ratio was 1:5 and the mean age at presentation was 32 years. 58% patients belonged to age group 21-30 years. Subtotal thyroidectomy was the commonest surgical procedure performed in 59 (41.8%) cases followed by monolateral lobectomy in 46 (32.6%) patients. Multinodular goiter was the most frequent histopathological lesion reported in 76 (53.9%) cases. The average postoperative hospital stay was 6.4 days. 57 (40.4%) patients developed complications:15 (10.6%) hematomas, 14(9.9%) wound infection , 9( 6.3%) wound seroma, 5(3.5%) temporary recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy, 2(1.4%) permanent recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy, 6(42%) laryngeal edema, 4 (2.8%) hypothyroidism, 2 (1.4%) hypoparathyroidism. High wound morbidity in this study demands more meticulous dissection and hemostasis and attention towards better sterilization.