title: Clinical audit of the presentation and outcome of benign thyroid disorders in a tertiary care setting in Pakistan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the clinical presentation and outcome of surgical management of benign thyroid disorders in a tertiary care set up in Pakistan.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical audit was carried out at the Department of Surgery, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Islamabad, from September 2002 to December 2010. The data were recorded on a pre-designed proforma, which comprehensively encompassed the relevant variables and outcome measures. SPSS 10 was used for statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 527 patients, there were 474 (89.94%) females and 53 (10.05%) males. The overall age ranged 21-56 years, with a mean of 41.99 +/- 9.07 years. Symptoms due to local pressure effects of the goiter were the commonest presenting features found in 473 (89.75%) patients. The mean duration of thyroid disorder was 11.85 +/- 3.41 years. Hypothroidism was the commonest biochemical abnormality found in 117 (22.20%) patients, while hyperthyroidism was found in 63 (11.95%) patients. Multinodular goitre was the most frequent disorder found in 439 (83.30%) patients. Subtotal thyroidectomy constituted the commonest surgical procedure performed in 398 (75.52%) patients. Temporary hypocalcaemia was the most common post-operative complication observed in 93 (17.64%) patients. The mean hospital stay was 4.76 +/- 2.14 days. There was no in-hospital mortality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Benign thyroid disorders are prevalent in our population and commonly affect the younger females. Majority of the patients have a family history of thyroid disorders. Most of the patients present with several years history of the disease. Subtotal thyroidectomy is the most frequently offered surgical procedure, which is safe.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad. muhammadsaaiq5@gmail.com
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saaiq
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad.
authors.forename: Syed Aslam
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zubair
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D063128:Tertiary Health Care; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome