Tc-99m radio-guided completion thyroidectomy for differentiated thyroid carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study is to investigate whether or not radio-guided surgery has any beneficial effects on completion thyroidectomy (CT) and the associated complication rates.


METHODS
Twenty-seven patients were scheduled for CT, for thyroid carcinoma, from December 2004 to June 2005, and were included in the study. All the patients had had initial thyroid surgery in other centers and been referred to our clinic for CT. Operation findings and the effectiveness of Tc-99m radio-guided CT were analyzed.


RESULTS
The intraoperative mean ratio of thyroid activity to background activity counted with a gamma probe was 1.3 ± 0.3. Average operation timing was 74 ± 9 minutes. Postoperatively, no residual tissue was detected in any of the patients with ultrasonography and thyroid scintigraphy. In the first postoperative month, serum TSH level was 61 ± 16.4 mIU / L, when preoperatively it was 7.3 ± 3.1 mIU / L (P < 0.001). In the postoperative period, one patient experienced temporary hypoparathyroidism (3.9%). Permanent hypoparathyroidism or recurrent laryngeal nerve damage was not detected in any patient.


CONCLUSIONS
Tc-99 radio-guided CT is a reliable surgical method, which provides the detection and removal of residual thyroid tissues with minimal complications.
Karyağar
Savaş
S
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Istanbul, T.C.S.B. Okmeydani Training and Research Hospital, Turkey.
Karatepe
Oğuzhan
O
Bender
Omer
O
Mulazımoğlu
Mehmet
M
Ozpaçaci
Tevfik
T
Uyanık
Ercan
E
Karyağar
Sevda S
SS
Yalçın
Orhan
O
Ozdenkaya
Yaşar
Y