Outpatient thyroidectomy: experience in over 200 patients

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Surgical Oncology
• Endocrine Surgery

Background:

• Thyroidectomy traditionally requires inpatient stays due to concerns about hemorrhage and hypocalcemia.
• Previous limited studies suggested outpatient thyroidectomy might be feasible.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety and efficacy of outpatient thyroidectomy in a larger patient cohort.
• To compare complication and readmission rates between outpatient and inpatient thyroidectomy.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected database of 418 patients undergoing thyroidectomy.
• Comparison of outcomes (length of stay, complications, readmissions) between outpatient and inpatient groups.

Main Results:

• Outpatient thyroidectomy (208 patients) had significantly lower complication rates (1.9%) than inpatient procedures (13.3%).
• Readmission rates were also lower in the outpatient group (1.9%) compared to inpatients (5.7%), primarily for transient hypocalcemia.

Conclusions:

• Outpatient thyroidectomy is a safe and viable option for carefully selected patients.
• Modern surgical advancements and prophylactic measures have reduced the risks associated with outpatient thyroidectomy.