[Cold struma nodule--enucleation or resection]

During 1969-1984 2,408 patients underwent thyroid surgery at the Dept. of General Surgery, Giessen University. In 72.5% cold nodules have been diagnosed. However, a cold nodule has been in less than 50% of all cases with cold nodules the causal indication for operation. Inspecting closely the whole thyroid gland, the operating surgeon removes the nodule with a segmental resection if there are no further regressions or suspicion of malignancy. This technique facilitates the histological detection of a possible highly differentiated carcinoma because of its invasion into the capsule.