[Radical procedures on the thyroid gland at the turn of the millennium]

The increasing demands for radical thyroid operations by endocrinologists led during the last decade to elaboration of tactics and surgical techniques of thyroid operations. Nowadays as radical operation removal of all thyroid tissue is considered, and when malignancy is suspected, also removal of the affected lymph nodes. While in 1992 the ratio of radical thyroid operations did not exceed 30%, at present these operations account for more than 90%. Our experience is based on results assembled in a group of 4960 patients operated on account of thyroid disease with the conclusion, if judged with regard to postoperative complications, radical removal of the thyroid gland is nowadays almost equally safe as subtotal surgery. Sufficiently radical surgery prevents moreover a relapse of the disease. An essential part of treatment of thyroid disease should be interdisciplinary collaboration in particular among endocrinologists, sonographists and surgeons, not only during preoperative preparation but also during the regular postoperative follow up of patients.