Factors influencing thyroidectomy complications.
The postoperative outcome of thyroidectomies is related to factors concerning the patient, the thyroid disease, and the surgeon.


OBJECTIVE
To analyze a clinic's experience with thyroidectomy complications.


METHODS
historical cross-sectional cohort study.


METHODS
We reviewed the charts from 228 patients submitted to thyroidectomy, between 1991 and 2004. Transient, permanent and total complications as well as persistence and recurrence of the basal disease were studied in relation to clinical and laboratory factors.


RESULTS
Total complications occurred in 34.65%, transient complications in 18.86% (9.21% had hypocalcemia, 0.44% had vocal cord paralysis), associated with the first postoperative years and pressure complaints, and permanent complications in 17.98% (8.77%: hypoparathyroidism; 1.75%: vocal cord paralysis), associated with malignancy and more radical surgeries. The thyroid disease persisted in 17.98% of the cases, associated with age and recurrence in 10.96%, associated with the first operative years, benign diseases and less radical surgeries.


CONCLUSIONS
The complications were associated with pressure complaints, shorter complaining period, malignancy and more radical surgeries. The recurrence was associated with the first operative years, non-neoplastic thyroid diseases and less radical surgeries. The persistence of disease was associated with older age.
Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical School of Botucatu, University of Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil. 　m_ernandes@yahoo.com.br
Miguel
M
Ernandes-Neto
José Vicente
JV
Tagliarini
Bárbara Estefania
BE
López
Carlos Roberto
CR
Padovani
Mariângela de Alencar
Mde A
Marques
Emanuel Cellice
EC
Castilho
Gláucia Maria Ferreira da Silva
GM
Mazeto
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D055815:Young Adult