[Surgical treatment of Basedow's disease. Retrospective study of 40 cases]

Graves' disease is an autoimmune disorder. Its diagnosis is easy. Its treatment is delicate in lack of etiologic treatment. We report a retrospective study of 40 cases operated in nine years period. The failure of the medical treatment constituted the main operative indication in our series (57.5%). A subtotal thyroidectomy have been accomplished in 72.5% and total thyroidectomy in 22.5% of cases. We noted one case of definitive hypoparathyroidism after surgery. Our endocrinal results were characterised by the occurrence of hyperthyroidism in 2 cases after subtotal thyroidectomy. For many authors, surgery is the best treatment of graves' disorder and the actual tendency is to realise a total thyroidectomy. Our results encourage us to adhere to the therapeutic method.