[Surgical treatment of thyroid nodules. The immediate results after different thyroidectomy methods]

The extension of the resection for thyroid nodules depends both on nodules' nature and immediate or late postoperative complications risks. This clinical study analyzed the immediate complications appeared after partial thyroidectomy comparatively with those developed after total thyroidectomy. We studied 1411 patients operated in two clinics (from Romania and from France) which have two different attitudes concerning the width of the resection. Paralysis of recurrent laryngeal nerve occurred in 1.0% of patients with partial thyroidectomy and 3.0% of patients with total thyroidectomy, while only one patient (0.6%) developed permanent hypoparathyroidism after total thyroidectomy. In conclusion, total thyroidectomy can be performed by experimented surgeons with a recurrent or parathyroid injury risk similar to partial thyroidectomy. However, the surgeon should take into account the patient survey capacity and the discomfort produced by life substitutive treatment.