Trial of thyroid autotransplantation in patients with Graves' disease whose remnant thyroid has unintentionally been made too small at subtotal thyroidectomy

Autotransplantation of thyroid tissue was carried out in 5 patients with Graves' disease in order to prevent postoperative hypothyroidism, because the amount of remnant thyroid tissue was estimated to be too small, i.e. from 3 to 5 g. Approximately 0.5 to 2 g of thyroid tissue was cut into small pieces and transplanted into the sternocleidomastoid muscles or the strap muscles. Although the postoperative serum TSH levels were normal or slightly elevated, the serum concentrations of triiodothyronine were within the normal range in these 5 patients at a follow-up study carried out 2 to 7 years after surgery. Thyroid scanning with I-123 or 99mTc-pertechnetate (Tc-99m) revealed radioisotope uptake at the sites of transplantation in 4 of the 5 patients. These findings verify that the implanted thyroid tissues were alive and functioning and that autotransplantation may be a way of preventing postoperative hypothyroidism in patients whose remnant thyroid tissue has unintentionally become too small.