[Can recurrences after resection of benign thyroid diseases be prevented?]

Analyzing the clinical data of 258 patients whose treatment after thyroid surgery was followed by the TRH-stimulation test over a period of 5 years we found that in 130 patients (93%) sufficient substitution was achieved. The increase in the TSH-level after TRH-stimulation was less than 10 muE/ml. There was no case of recurrence in this group. In 18 patients (7%) who admitted taking medication irregularly, there was an average increase in TSH-level of 16,7 muE/ml. There were two cases of recurrence in this group. The recurrence rate after thyroid surgery can be decreased by sufficient medical treatment resulting in an increase of TSH-level less than 10 muE/ml after TRH-stimulation, providing there is a close follow-up and a high incidence of patients' cooperation.