Thyroidectomy in patients with a high BMI: a safe surgery?

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Surgical Oncology
• General Surgery

Background:

• Obesity, defined as a body mass index (BMI) ≥25, is a growing global health concern.
• Thyroidectomy is a common surgical procedure for various thyroid conditions.
• The impact of elevated BMI on thyroidectomy outcomes requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare postoperative complications of thyroidectomy in patients with BMI ≥25 versus those with BMI <25.
• To evaluate the safety and efficacy of thyroidectomy in overweight and obese populations.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study conducted from September 2010 to January 2013.
• Comparison of postoperative calcemia, laryngeal mobility, bleeding, infectious complications, hospital stay, and operative time.
• Statistical analysis using chi-squared test or Student's t-test.

Main Results:

• 168 patients had BMI <25 and 198 had BMI ≥25.
• No significant differences in hypoparathyroidism, recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy, bleeding, or hospital stay.
• Significantly longer operative time observed in patients with BMI ≥25.

Conclusions:

• Thyroidectomy, both total and partial, can be safely performed in patients with BMI ≥25.
• Elevated BMI does not increase the risk of major postoperative complications after thyroidectomy.
• Longer operative time in obese patients should be considered during surgical planning.