title: [Complications after total thyroidectomy in thyroid carcinoma].
abstract: Authors report the postoperative complication rate in 52 patients who had undergone total thyroidectomy for cancer between 1984 to 1989. Total thyroidectomy has been performed in 9.8% of patients surgically treated for nodular thyroid pathology. Patients age average 49 years in a range 16-75; they were 49 women and 3 men. In 50% of cases we found papillary cancer, follicular in 40%, medullary 4% and anaplastic 6%. We shared postoperative complications in two mean groups: 1) aspecific complications as cardiocirculatory failure, respiratory failure, wound infections or collections, granulomas, keloids; 2) surgery related complications such as hypocalcemia, dysphagia, recurrent++ paralyses. The first group, we noticed just one case of respiratory mechanical failure due to severe tracheomalacia that required a temporary tracheostomy performed at the end of surgical procedure; we did not notice any death due to cardio-circulatory or respiratory failure, nor did we notice any postoperative hemorrhage; one patient presented a wound seroma, two patients presented granulomas due to subcutaneous stitches, and three developed papulous drug-induced erythema. The second group, eight patients developed a transient hypocalcemia beginning on the second postoperative day, without relevant tetanic crisis, well treated by calcium administration; only two of these patients developed permanent hypoparathyroidism. In 3 cases we had to perform exeresis of a laryngeal inferior nerve involved by the cancer, while in 5 more cases we noticed a transient monolateral paralysis that disappeared in 2 or 3 months. Three patients presented dysphagia before intervention and healed post-surgery.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Clinica Chirurgica Generale, Università degli Studi di Perugia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Leo
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Giustozzi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boselli
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cagini
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Doria
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lepri
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Covarelli
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Borgognoni
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000601:surgery*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000601:surgery*; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000009:adverse effects
vernacular_title: Complicanze post-tiroidectomia totale per carcinoma della tiroide.