Perioperative practices in thyroid surgery: An international survey

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Endocrine Surgery
• Surgical Practices

Background:

• Thyroid surgery practices exhibit considerable variation across specialties, institutions, and countries.
• Understanding these differences is crucial for standardizing patient care and improving outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the current preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative practices of thyroid surgeons globally.
• To identify variations in key aspects of thyroid surgery, including ultrasound use, vocal cord assessment, drain usage, and hospitalization length.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive survey was distributed to members of seven otolaryngology and endocrine/general surgery associations worldwide.
• The survey collected data on perioperative practices from 965 respondents across 52 countries.

Main Results:

• Over one-third of surgeons perform their own preoperative ultrasounds.
• Otolaryngologists are more likely to conduct vocal cord evaluations pre- and post-operatively compared to endocrine/general surgeons.
• Drain placement is infrequent, with 60% of surgeons rarely or never using them for thyroid lobectomies.
• Outpatient thyroid surgery is most prevalent in the United States (63% of surgeons).

Conclusions:

• This study represents the first global epidemiological survey of thyroid surgery practices.
• Significant variability and evolving trends in thyroid surgery are evident worldwide.
• Findings highlight the need for further research into standardized perioperative protocols to optimize thyroidectomy outcomes.