Thyroidectomy in children and adolescents: a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Surgery
• Endocrinology
• Thyroidology

Background:

• Thyroid surgery in children is less common than in adults but shares similar indications and complications.
• This review focuses on the surgical management of thyroid disease in patients under 18 years old.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the surgical management of thyroid disease in the pediatric population.
• To analyze demographics, indications, procedures, complications, and outcomes of pediatric thyroidectomy.

Main Methods:

• Bibliographic search of international literature.
• Retrospective review of 37 studies including 12,728 pediatric patients undergoing thyroidectomy.

Main Results:

• Thyroidectomy was more frequent in females around 14 years old, with benign pathology being the primary indication.
• Hypoparathyroidism was the most common complication, but pediatric thyroid cancer survival rates are excellent.
• Total and subtotal thyroidectomy are increasingly popular due to safety and effectiveness in young patients.

Conclusions:

• Thyroidectomy by experienced, high-volume surgeons is a safe and efficient treatment for pediatric thyroid disease.
• The procedure demonstrates excellent survival rates for pediatric thyroid cancer.