Hemithyroidectomy, does the indication influence the outcome?

Hemithyroidectomies are mainly performed for two indications, either therapeutically to relieve compression symptoms or diagnostically for suspicious nodule(s). In case of the latter, one could consider the approach to be rather extensive since the majority of patients have no symptoms and will have benign disease. The aim of this study is to investigate the complication rates of diagnostic hemithyroidectomy and to compare it with the complication rates of compressive symptoms hemithyroidectomy.

Data from patients who had undergone hemithyroidectomy either for compression symptoms or for excluding malignancy were extracted from a well-established Scandinavian quality register (SQRTPA). The following complications were analyzed: bleedings, wound infections, and paresis of the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN). Risk factors for these complications were examined by univariable and multivariable logistic regression.

A total of 9677 patients were included, 3871 (40%) underwent surgery to exclude malignancy and 5806 (60%) due to compression symptoms. In the multivariable analysis, the totally excised thyroid weight was an independent risk factor for bleeding. Permanent (6-12 months after the operation) RLN paresis were less common in the excluding malignancy group (p = 0.03).

A range of factors interfere and contribute to bleeding, wound infections, and RLN paresis after hemithyroidectomy. In this observational study based on a Scandinavian quality register, the indication "excluding malignancy" for hemithyroidectomy is associated with less permanent RLN paresis than the indication "compression symptoms." Thus, patients undergoing diagnostic hemithyroidectomy can be reassured that this procedure is a safe surgical procedure and does not entail an unjustified risk.