[Clinical evaluation of surgical treatment of Graves' disease]

Five hundred and thirteen surgical patients with Graves' disease from 1970 to 1983 were subjected to this study. They were divided into three groups by period in which operation was performed; 1st period from 1970 to 1974, 2nd from 1975 to 1979, and 3rd from 1980 to 1983. Postoperative thyroid function was evaluated. The weight of remnant thyroid was the greatest in the first period and the smallest in the third. There were no differences of frequency of postoperative complications among these periods in spite of remarkable decrease of weight of remnant thyroid tissue in the third period. Remission of thyroid function, was most frequently observed in the group of the remnant thyroid weight from 4 to 8 grams. Recurrence of hyperthyroidism was frequently observed in the group of the greatest weight of remnant thyroid and hypothyroid state was frequently observed in the group of the smallest remnant thyroid. These results indicate that the remnant thyroid weight may be one of the most crucial factors which influence on the postoperative functional state of patients with Graves' disease, and remnant thyroid tissue weighing from 4 to 8 grams may be the most appropriate in subtotal thyroidectomy.