[Rate of perioperative complications of thyroid surgery]

Mortality and complication rate of thyroid surgery was evaluated between 1980 and 1987. Patients undergoing thyroidectomy during parathyroidectomy, tracheotomy or tumor operation in the anterior mediastinum were excluded. 548 thyroidectomies were performed in 536 patients. There were no mortalities. The incidence of local complications was 16% with paralysis of the recurrent nerve being the most frequent (6.2%). Other complications were hematoma or hemorrhage (4.9%), hypocalcemia (2.1%), allergic skin reaction (1.3%), or wound infection (0.7%). 2.2% of the patients needed reoperation because of false negative interpretation of a frozen section, or carcinoma in final histology. Systemic complications were found in 13 patients (2%), 6 of whom required intensive care treatment. Statistical analysis revealed that patients undergoing total thyroidectomy or re-thyroidectomy, and patients older than 50 years are at higher risk for local complications.