[Postoperative course and tactics of aftercare in hyperthyroidism]

In a follow-up study of 112 patients who had subtotal thyroidectomy because of Graves' disease and nodular goitre with hyperthyroidism, 81% were euthyroid, 10,7% developed hypothyroidism and 8% had persistent or recurrent hyperthyroidism. 12,5% of the euthyroid patients had goitre; 10 of these patients had cold thyroid nodules. The assessment of the dignity of the cold nodules and guidelines for the therapeutic procedure are stressed. The importance of considering clinical findings on one hand and thyroid function tests on the other hand in the choice of effective treatment - prophylaxis against euthyroid goitre, substitution with hormones, iodine-131 therapy, antithyroid drugs or reoperation - is outlined.