title: Quality of life after thyroid surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to inquire how patients' quality of life is affected after thyroid surgery and the factors involved.
  
  
  METHODS
  A semi-structured questionnaire and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale (WHOQOL-BREF) were applied to 101 patients prior to surgery. Thereafter data was collected in the early and again in the late post-operative period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean general health score for pre-operative quality of life was 6.72 ± 1.53 (3-10), mean physical field score was 22.81 ± 2.77 (17-31), mean psychological field score was 21.69 ± 2.78 (15-28), mean social field score was 11.10 ± 1.94 (5-15) and mean environmental field score was 27.86 ± 4.30 (18-39). In the early post-operative period, mean general health score was 7.05 ± 1.45 (4-10), mean physical field score was 22.84 ± 2.83 (14-29), mean psychological field score was 21.67 ± 2.32 (16-27), mean social field score was 10.89 ± 1.96 (5-15) and mean environmental field score was 28.56 ± 4.18 (18-40). In the late post-operative period, the general health score for quality of life was 7.43 ± 1.34 (4-10), mean physical field score was 23.59 ± 2.70 (17-35), mean psychological field score was 21.75 ± 2.34 (14-29), mean social field score was 11.23 ± 1.94 (6-15) and mean on-field environment score was 29.30 ± 3.96 (16-40). The pre-operative levels of symptoms were found to be higher than early and late post-operative periods.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Quality of life increased after total thyroidectomy and statistically significant improvement was observed in late post-operative stage.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Istanbul Medical Faculty, University of Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dogan
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Bakirkoy Dr. Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital, Zuhuratbaba, Tevfik Sağlam Cad. No:11, Bakirkoy, Istanbul, Turkey. alpersahbaz@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Sahbaz
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Istanbul Medical Faculty, University of Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aksakal
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Kolan Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tutal
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Istanbul Medical Faculty, University of Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Torun
authors.affiliation: Department of Consultation Liaison Psychiatry, Istanbul Medical Faculty, University of Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: N K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Yıldırım
authors.affiliation: Department of Consultation Liaison Psychiatry, Istanbul Medical Faculty, University of Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Özkan
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Istanbul Medical Faculty, University of Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ozcinar
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Istanbul Medical Faculty, University of Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Erbil
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Anxiety; Quality of life; Surgery; Total thyroidectomy