Outpatient thyroidectomy in the pediatric population

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Surgery
• Endocrinology
• Surgical Outcomes

Background:

• Thyroid surgery has increasingly moved to outpatient settings for adults, proving cost-effective and safe.
• Established protocols for preoperative optimization and patient education facilitate this transition.
• The safety and efficacy in pediatric populations remain less explored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety and efficacy of outpatient thyroid surgery in pediatric patients.
• To assess complication rates, readmissions, and reoperations in this demographic.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 55 consecutive thyroidectomies in 51 pediatric patients (under 18) from December 2015 to February 2019.
• Procedures performed by two endocrine surgeons at a large academic institution.
• Data collected on complications, unplanned admissions (same-day and 30-day), reoperations, and mortality.

Main Results:

• All 53 eligible patients were discharged within 6 hours post-operation.
• Complications included transient hypoparathyroidism (9.4%), permanent hypoparathyroidism (3.8%), transient hoarseness (1.9%), and one late hematoma requiring reoperation (1.9%).
• No deaths, same-day admissions, or 30-day readmissions for other causes were recorded.

Conclusions:

• Outpatient thyroid surgery is a safe and effective approach for pediatric patients.
• The findings support the expansion of ambulatory thyroidectomy to the pediatric population.
• Careful patient selection and surgical expertise are key to successful outcomes.