The Role of Subtotal Thyroidectomy in the Treatment of Benign Goitre
Subtotal thyroidectomy
Traditionally, subtotal thyroidectomy has been performed for the management of benign multinodular goitre, in the belief that it would reduce the morbidity profile of the patient, and may lead to improved euthyroidism. However, with the increasing safety and simplicity of total thyroidectomy, the role of subtotal thyroidectomy in the treatment of benign goitre should be largely diminished.
Thyroid surgery is generally safe in the hands of skilled surgeons, but the procedure can be complicated. Thyroid surgery includes a 4 cm incision, the separation of the neck muscles, and the removal of thyroid tissue.
In addition, thyroid surgery can cause bleeding, swelling, and damage to the parathyroid glands, which control calcium levels. It also can affect the lungs and heart. If the recurrent laryngeal nerves are damaged, the patient may experience difficulty breathing. The surgeon will use a breathing tube to breathe safely during the operation.
Recurrence rates after subtotal resection have been reported to range from 4% to 14%. Moreover, recurrent recurrence is not controlled by antithyroid drugs. This has resulted in the development of a surgical policy that recommends the removal of the recurrent lobes to reduce the risk of recurrent recurrence and permanent hypothyroidism.
A study by Piraneo et al compared recurrence rates following enucleation, lobectomy, and subtotal resection. They found that the recurrence rate after enucleation was higher in comparison to the other two groups. The recurrence rate after lobectomy was similar to the recurrence rate after a subtotal resection. A total of 494 patients were evaluated in this study.
Of these patients, 10 had a recurrent recurrence and were urged to undergo total thyroidectomy. The remaining 494 patients were divided into two groups. One group consisted of 214 patients undergoing total thyroidectomy (TT) and the other group comprised 92 patients undergoing a unilateral superior lobe thyroidectomy (STT).
The authors of the study acknowledged that there were limitations to the study. The length of the follow-up period was shorter than the period used in other studies. In addition, the gender distribution did not differ between the groups. Although this study had its limitations, it was able to show that the risk of recurrence and the degree of hypothyroidism were comparable for the two procedures.
Subtotal thyroidectomy is a surgical procedure that ligates the inferior thyroid vein, removes the thyroid gland, and leaves approximately 4 to 8 grams of thyroid tissue. This procedure is performed for a variety of reasons, including Graves’ disease, toxic adenoma, and pregnant patients. The surgical procedure may also involve the removal of suspicious lymph nodes.
The procedure can be done in a hospital, clinic, or outpatient facility. It is important to discuss the risks and complications of the operation with your doctor before deciding on the best treatment for you.
Before surgery, your healthcare provider will perform a series of tests to determine your thyroid hormone levels. You will also be examined for signs of cancer, which may require a frozen section evaluation. If you have a suspected malignancy, a fine-needle aspiration biopsy is performed to identify abnormal thyroid tissue. If the biopsy reveals cancer, the pathologist will be able to find cancer and remove it.
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