[Causes, prevention and treatment of postoperative hypothyroidism]

Postoperative hypothyrosis was diagnozed in 76 (6.17%) out of 1231 patients operated upon for various diseases of the thyroid gland. Among causes of this complication the authors point to lymphoid infiltration of tissue and changes in autoimmune processes. Adequate operative methods, leaving sufficient quantity of the gland tissue with special reference to cellular and humoral immunity are considered as prophylactic measures. The treatment includes thyroid drugs used by a special scheme with addition of corticosteroids in autoimmune forms of thyroiditis.