[The complications of reoperation for thyroid disease after a thyroidectomy]

To find out the morbidity of reoperation for thyroid disease, and discuss its complications and the risk factors associated with it.

Retrospective study. Incidence of recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy and hypoparathyroidism. This paper reported 43 cases underwent secondary thyroidectomy during the year from 1997 to 2001 in our hospital. Frozen sections were done in all cases during the operations.

Of the 43 cases, the initial frozen sections pathologic diagnosis were benign diseases in 30 cases, but their last pathologic diagnosis were malignant change after the first operation. Complications were 6 transient palsy of the recurrent laryngeal nerve, 2 patients developed permanent unilateral palsy and one temporary hypoparathyroidism.

Frozen section helps to raise the accuracy of diagnosis. Secondary thyroidectomy can be avoided by selecting suitable types of operations. Subtotal thyroidectomy of benign nodular thyroid will be good for preventing recurrence. Secondary thyroidectomy should be safe procedure. Because of the high risk of complications reoperations for thyroid gland disease should be done only if the patient cannot be treated in other ways.