[Long term follow-up after thyroidectomy]

Surgically treated Graves' patients should be submitted to long-term follow-up in order to detect early hypothyroidism, as well as relapses of hyperthyroidism which are not exceptional. The aim of the prolonged care after thyroidectomy for non toxic goiter is to detect a recurrence of the goiter and to control the prophylactic administration of thyroid hormones which should be prescribed in most cases. The follow-up after surgery for thyroid carcinoma depends on the histology of the tumor and on the type of postsurgical treatment.