Chronic Fatigue After Thyroidectomy: A Patient-Centered Survey.

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Surgical Outcomes
• Patient-Reported Outcomes

Background:

• Fatigue is a frequent complaint post-thyroidectomy, yet data on its prevalence and duration remain limited.
• This study addresses the need for more information on long-term fatigue following different types of thyroid surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence and duration of fatigue after total thyroidectomy (TT) versus thyroid lobectomy (TL).
• To compare the likelihood and recovery timeline of fatigue between TT and TL patients.

Main Methods:

• A statewide survey was conducted on patients who underwent thyroidectomy between 2004 and 2017.
• Data were collected from 281 patients, comparing outcomes between those who had TT (n=216) and TL (n=65).

Main Results:

• 61% of respondents reported new fatigue within one year of surgery.
• Total thyroidectomy patients were significantly more likely to report new fatigue (69% vs. 44%).
• Among fatigued patients, 39% reported moderate improvement, with recovery timelines varying from 1 to over 2 years.

Conclusions:

• Long-term fatigue after total thyroidectomy can be debilitating and prolonged.
• Thyroid lobectomy appears to be associated with a lower prevalence of long-lasting fatigue compared to total thyroidectomy.