Quality of life in patients undergoing thyroid surgery.
OBJECTIVE
The extent of thyroidectomy in the management of low-risk, well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma (WDTC) has been debated extensively. Our objective was to determine if hemithyroidectomy has a less detrimental effect on quality of life (QOL) than total thyroidectomy.


METHODS
Prospective, nonblinded, nonrandomized, cohort study.


METHODS
Tertiary care academic otolaryngology-head and neck surgery practice.


METHODS
Using both disease-specific and global QOL instruments, patients treated with either hemi- or total thyroidectomy were prospectively followed. QOL was assessed preoperatively and for 12 months postoperatively.


METHODS
Scores on the two QOL instruments throughout a 12-month postoperative period.


RESULTS
Patients with cancer experienced a greater drop in QOL during the first 6 months following surgery when compared with patients with benign disease (p < .03). Additionally, patients treated with total thyroidectomy did not have a significantly different QOL than patients treated with hemithyroidectomy (p > .2).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that QOL is not significantly impacted by the extent of surgery and that QOL should not be a factor in the decision-making process for the treatment of low-risk WDTC.
Shah
Manish D
MD
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario.
Witterick
Ian J
IJ
Eski
Spiro J
SJ
Pinto
Ruxandra
R
Freeman
Jeremy L
JL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000379:methods*