[Thyroid surgery (356 cases): risks and complications]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the risks and complication rate of thyroid surgery. The authors present a retrospective study of 356 patients surgically treated for thyroid nodules, between 1987 and 1998, at the military hospital of Tunis. The patients were categorised into 3 groups: group I: 238 solitary thyroid nodules (66.8%); group II: 92 multinodular goitres (25.8%) included 12 retrosternal goitres (3.37%) and group III: 26 cases of Basedow's disease (7.4%). Patients benefitted from unilateral surgery in 72% of cases and from bilateral surgery (total or subtotal thyroidectomy) in the remaining 28% of cases. Malignancy was found in 34 cases (9.5%). The complications observed were haemorrhage (0.56% of cases), unilateral post operative recurrent laryngeal palsy (1.12% of cases), and permanent hypoparathyroidism in 0.81% of cases. Experienced surgeons and the use of a meticulous surgical technique can reduce the incidence of post operative complications in thyroid surgery.