[Surgical treatment of Graves' disease : a survey (author's transl)]

A follow up study of 63 patients treated by subtotal thyroidectomy for diffuse toxic goitre was reported. The patients were operated when they were euthyroid, after a prolonged treatment with carbimazole and a short one with iodide solution. Only 3 or 4 g. of thyroid tissue remained after surgery. No serious complication, specially ocular, was seen. No patient was hyperthyroid 6 months after surgery and only one relapsed after 2 years. Hypothyroidism was observed in 35 % of cases within the 6 months after surgery and was increased up to 50 % after 5 years.