Thyroidectomy under local anaesthesia: how safe?
BACKGROUND
In order to compliment the inadequate health facilities in the rural areas in Nigeria, nongovernmental organisations provide adhoc outreach health camps that offer treatment in various medical specialties including surgery.


METHODS
Rural outreach health camps.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the safety of thyroidectomy under local anaesthesia at rural outreach setting with inadequate facilities for general anaesthesia.


METHODS
This was a prospective descriptive study of 33 consecutive cases of thyroidectomy performed using field block with 1% lignocaine and adrenaline 1: 200,000 dilution during two free medical outreaches that held at Jos, Nigeria in March and October 2005 respectively, lasting two weeks each.


RESULTS
A total of 33 primary thyroid operations were performed consisting of 30 subtotal thyroidectomies (91%), 2 lobectomies (6%) and one total thyroidectomy (3%), The patients were aged between 23 and 62 years with a mean age of 45.8 years. There were 3 males and 30 females with a male: female ratio of 1:10. There was no mortality but morbidity was 2/33 (6%) Two complications were recorded in 2 patients and were superficial surgical site infection (3%) and reactionary haemorrhage (3%).


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that thyroidectomy under local anaesthesia is a safe procedure in experienced hands at rural settings with inadequate facilities for general anaesthesia.
Misauno
M A
MA
Department of Surgery, Jos University Teaching Hospital, Abuja. micoyedim@yahoo.co.uk
Yilkudi
M G
MG
Akwaras
A L
AL
Embu
H Y
HY
Ojo
E O
EO
Dakum
N K
NK
Sule
A Z
AZ
Ugwu
B T
BT
D000328:Adult; D000772:Anesthesia, Local / Q000379:methods*; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012424:Rural Population; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage
D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D004338:Drug Combinations; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D008012:Lidocaine; D004837:Epinephrine