[Surgical treatment of benign tumors of the thyroid gland]

Based on 22-year experience with surgery of 2107 benign thyroid tumours and data in the literature the authors evaluate some controversial problems from this sphere of thyrology pertaining to the definition and classification of benign tumours, their diagnosis, treatment and subsequent follow-up. Modern diagnostic procedures indicate that the actual number of true benign tumours is smaller than reported in some statistics and the assumption of monoclonal development of tumours is one of the most fundamental characteristics. The authors consider total lobectomy as minimal surgery, in case of uncertainty as regards possible malignancy further procedures depend on final histological examination. If the final finding alters the diagnosis from an originally benign tumour to a malignant one, the authors recommend a two-stage procedure to implement total thyroidectomy. In the authors' opinion total lobectomy is sufficient also in some variants of follicular adenoma--Hürtle's adenoma or atypical adenoma. Then however subsequent dispensarization is essential. After a partial operation (lobectomy) it is important to ensure substitution with thyroid hormones to suppress the function of TSH.