title: Does unilateral lobectomy suffice to manage unilateral nontoxic goiter?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of ipsilateral lobectomy to treat unilateral, nontoxic, benign nodular goiter and to define predictive factors for recurrence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients undergoing thyroid lobectomy for unilateral, nontoxic, benign nodular goiter between 2002 and 2007 were included. Patients were excluded if coincidental thyroid cancer was detected at histopathologic examination and completion thyroidectomy was performed. Potential predictors of recurrence including age; sex; family history; preoperative volume of the thyroid gland; preoperative number, size, and ultrasonography characteristics of the nodules; duration of postoperative follow-up; postoperative use of thyroxine; and histopathologic diagnoses were recorded at baseline. Follow-up visits were scheduled every 3 months during the first year and every 6 months thereafter. Recurrent disease was defined as a hypoechogenic or hyperechogenic nodule larger than or equal to 3 mm detected in the remaining contralateral lobe during ultrasonography. Patients with a thyrotropin value greater than 5 mIU/L received thyroxine. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy was performed for nodules greater than 10 mm or for nodules with characteristics suggestive of malignancy. Reoperation was indicated if a nodule was greater than 3 cm in diameter, posed a risk of malignancy, or caused compression signs or symptoms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 104 patients were included. Histopathologic diagnoses at initial operation were adenoma in 45 patients, colloidal nodular goiter in 45 patients, and chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis in 14 patients. Average duration of follow-up was 39.75 +/- 21.75 months (range, 5-87 months). Recurrence was seen in 63 patients (60.6%). Histopathologic characteristics of the lobectomy material (P<.001), preoperative volume of the thyroid gland (P<.006), and multinodularity (P<.011) were significant predictors of recurrence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Higher preoperative thyroid volume, histopathologic characteristics of nodules, and multinodular disease are associated with an increased risk of recurrence in patients with unilateral nodular goiter. Unilateral lobectomy is an effective therapeutic option with low reoperation rates in unilateral benign thyroid disease.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of General Surgery, Sisli Etfal Research and Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. dryetkin@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Gurkan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yetkin
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uludag
authors.forename: Ozgun
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Onceken
authors.forename: Bulent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Citgez
authors.forename: Adnan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Isgor
authors.forename: Ismail
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Akgun
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006042:Goiter / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013960:Thyroid Function Tests; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000379:methods*; D013966:Thyroiditis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D013974:Thyroxine