Total thyroidectomy is the preferred treatment for patients with Graves' disease and a thyroid nodule.
OBJECTIVE
To identify the indications and outcomes of total thyroidectomy for Graves' disease in a North American cohort.


METHODS
Prospective database of 297 patients undergoing total thyroidectomy in a tertiary care center identified 49 patients with Graves'.


RESULTS
There were 37 women and 12 men (mean age, 37.9 years). Common indications for surgery were: refusal of radioactive iodine (20%), thyroid storm (18%), a thyroid nodule (16%), failure of I131(14%), and ophthalmopathy (14%). Complications included: symptomatic hypocalcemia (14%), permanent hypoparathyroidism (0%), and symptoms of recurrent laryngeal nerve injury (0%). Graves' patients had more bleeding (117 mL versus 48 mL, P<0.05). Clinical nodules were malignant in 38%. Papillary thyroid carcinoma occurred in 10% of patients, with 60% multifocal, and 60% lymph node metastases.


CONCLUSIONS
Total thyroidectomy for Graves' has minimal morbidity. Patients with Graves' and a thyroid nodule are at an increased risk for malignancy and should be treated with a total thyroidectomy.
Boostrom
Sarah
S
Department of Surgery, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.
Richards
Melanie L
ML
D000328:Adult; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000379:methods