[Perioperative complications in thyroid gland surgery]

The perioperative complication rate of 548 thyroidectomies in 536 patients was evaluated in a retrospective study. Local problems were present in 14% of the patients. Most frequent were paralysis of the recurrent nerve (5.0%) and hematoma or hemorrhage (4.3%). Systemic complications were seen in 2% of the patients, usually cardiopulmonary decompensation requiring intensive care treatment. The operative and hospitalisation mortality was 0%. Statistical evaluation revealed that patients older than 50 years and patients undergoing rethyroidectomy were at higher risk for local complications. Our results show, however, that thyroidectomy is a low risk operation at a teaching institution.