[Surgical treatment of diffuse hyperthyroid goiter. Experience at a hospital in Valdivia, Chile].
BACKGROUND
The choice of medical, radiation or surgical therapy for hyperthyroid diffuse goiter is still empirical.


OBJECTIVE
To report a retrospective analysis of the surgical treatment of hyperthyroid goiter in a Regional Hospital in Chile.


METHODS
The charts of 64 patients, 54 female, aged between 15 and 57 years old, operated between 1985 and 1995 were analyzed.


RESULTS
The indication for surgical treatment was failure of medical treatment in 59 patients and a big goiter causing mechanical compression in 3 patients. A subtotal thyroidectomy was done after an abbreviated surgical preparation. The mean weight of the resected glands was 65.9 g. Four patients had transient hypocalcemia and 4 had surgical wound seromas. After a mean follow up of 31 months, 77% of patients remain euthyroid, hyperthyroidism relapsed in 13.1% and 10% became hypothyroid.


CONCLUSIONS
Surgical treatment of hyperthyroid goiter is safe but the percentage of hyperfunction relapse is high.
Pérez
J A
JA
Instituto de Cirugía, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Austral de Chile.
Silva
R
R
Torres
A
A
López
B
B
Henning
E
E
Pérez
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002677:Chile; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006042:Goiter / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D006980:Hyperthyroidism / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies