Safety and efficacy of total thyroidectomy in hands of endocrine surgery trainees.
BACKGROUND
Fear of a high complication rate of total thyroidectomy, especially in the hands of less experienced surgeons, limits its routine use. The results of total thyroidectomy in the hands of endocrine surgery trainees and consultants were compared to know whether this procedure can be performed effectively and safely by trainees.


METHODS
Medical records of 232 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy from 1990 to 1997 were reviewed. Patients were put into groups A (operated by consultants) and B (trainees). Safety (postoperative hypoparathyroidism, recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy, and hemorrhage) and efficacy (postoperative radioactive iodine uptake) in the two groups were compared.


RESULTS
There were 127 patients in group A and 105 in group B. Rates of occurrence of permanent hypoparathyroidism and recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy were comparable in the two groups. Postoperative radioactive iodine uptake in the two groups was not significantly different.


CONCLUSIONS
Total thyroidectomy can be safely and effectively performed by endocrine surgical trainees.
Mishra
A
A
Department of Endocrine Surgery, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India.
Agarwal
G
G
Agarwal
A
A
Mishra
S K
SK
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007011:Hypoparathyroidism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D015994:Incidence; D007396:Internship and Residency; D061224:Laryngeal Nerve Injuries; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011361:Professional Competence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D016896:Treatment Outcome