title: The effect of primary thyroid surgery on the morbidity of reoperative thyroid surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to investigate the effect of primary surgery on the morbidity of reoperative thyroid surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-seven patients (14 male, 43 female; mean age 41 years; range 21 to 70 years), who underwent reoperative thyroid surgery in our clinic between January 2007 and January 2012 were retrospectively analyzed in terms of vocal cord paralysis, temporary or permanent hypoparathyroidism, and other complications. The patients were classified into two groups. The first group consisted of 42 completion thyroidectomy patients that had undergone the primary operation of unilateral total lobectomy + isthmusectomy in our clinic, whereas the second group consisted of 15 patients that had undergone bilateral subtotal or near total thyroidectomy in another center. Complication rates were compared between the groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Complication rates were observed as permanent vocal cord paralysis in one patient (1.7%), permanent hypocalcemia in two patients (3.5%) and temporary hypocalcemia in four patients (7%). None of the patients had temporary vocal cord paralysis. The complications in the second group were significantly higher than the first group (p=0.021).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The minimal operation should be hemithyroidectomy (total lobectomy and isthmusectomy) to minimize the complications. This approach removes the need for the intervention to the previous surgery field during reoperative thyroid surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Medicine Faculty of Çukurova University, 01330 Balcalı, Adana, Turkey. ozgur_tarkan@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Özgür
authors.initials: Ö
authors.lastname: Tarkan
authors.forename: Levent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Soylu
authors.forename: Barlas
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Aydoğan
authors.forename: Özgür
authors.initials: Ö
authors.lastname: Sürmelioğlu
authors.forename: Süleyman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Özdemir
authors.forename: Ulkü
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Tuncer
authors.forename: Erdinç
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Çekiç
mesh_terms: D018263:Adenocarcinoma, Follicular / Q000601:surgery; D018249:Adenoma, Oxyphilic; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018276:Carcinoma, Medullary / Q000601:surgery; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006044:Goiter, Nodular / Q000601:surgery; D050031:Hashimoto Disease / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D006996:Hypocalcemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D007011:Hypoparathyroidism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity; D012086:Reoperation / Q000009:adverse effects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014826:Vocal Cord Paralysis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D055815:Young Adult