title: Characteristics of inpatient thyroid surgery at US academic and affiliated medical centers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Describe data from patients undergoing thyroid surgeries for benign and malignant disease at US academic medical centers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective, database search.
  
  
  METHODS
  The University Health System (UHC) Consortium (Oak Brook, Illinois) data compiled from discharge summaries.
  
  
  METHODS
  Discharge data were collected from the first quarter of 2002 through the fourth quarter of 2009. Searching strategy was based on diagnosis of thyroid disease and patients undergoing thyroid surgery across all UHC facilities. Demographic information was collected as well as length of stay (LOS) and costs. Complications were evaluated in this analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the study period, 68,014 thyroidectomies were performed, with 27,200 for thyroid cancer. During the same period 6365 neck dissections were performed, with 1539 as stand-alone procedures. Total thyroidectomy was the procedure of choice for malignant disease. More total thyroidectomies and fewer hemithyroidectomies were being performed for benign thyroid disease in the inpatient setting. Almost all postoperative complications were more frequent after surgery for cancer except myocardial infarction and aspiration pneumonia. On average, LOS was longer for benign disease, but costs were higher for malignant disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the largest series reporting inpatient LOS and mortality for thyroid surgery. The limitation of this study is that it reports patients whose stays were more than 23 hours, leaving out a significant number of thyroid surgeries that are performed as outpatients. Although the results contribute greatly to characterizing inpatient surgery, the results may not reflect current US trends for thyroid surgery.
authors: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Thyroid Center, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.
authors: Brendan C
authors: BC
authors: Stack
authors: Horace J
authors: HJ
authors: Spencer
authors: Christopher E
authors: CE
authors: Lee
authors: Sofia
authors: S
authors: Medvedev
authors: Samuel F
authors: SF
authors: Hohmann
authors: Donald L
authors: DL
authors: Bodenner
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000191:economics / Q000601:surgery*; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics; D014481:United States