title: Safety of completion thyroidectomy for multicentric carcinoma.
abstract: The role of completion thyroidectomy after lobectomy for well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma remains controversial. The purpose of the present study is to compare the relative safety of a one-stage versus a two-stage approach in the management of thyroid cancer. Thirty consecutive patients with thyroid carcinoma were studied. In 14 patients, frozen-section diagnosis of carcinoma allowed total thyroidectomy at the initial operation. In 16 patients, carcinoma was found only on permanent section; thus, completion thyroidectomy was undertaken as a second stage. Transient hypocalcemia occurred in one patient in each group (one-stage, 7%; two-stage, 6%). There was one unilateral recurrent nerve paresis in the one-stage group and none in the two-stage group. We conclude that a two-stage procedure is a safe and effective approach for the treatment of thyroid cancer and can be employed in those instances in which the diagnosis of malignancy is insecure at the initial operation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, Sylmar, California 91342, USA.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rigberg
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chandler
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ashley
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zuckerbraun
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thompson
mesh_terms: D018263:Adenocarcinoma, Follicular / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005629:Frozen Sections; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000379:methods*