[Indications for the repeat operations in thyroid gland cancer]

In the clinic of head and neck tumors of the P. A. Herzen Research Institute of Oncology during the period from 1962 to 1977 1417 patients were operated upon for thyroid tumors. Reoperations were performed in 198 patients (13.9%). The causes, which condition the necessity to perform reoperations, are discussed. The former are mainly due to violating of oncological principles of examination and surgical treatment of thyroid cancer patients in general surgery departments. The authors give a detailed analysis of indications to reoperations, which are based on an inadequate primary operation, the presence of a residual tumor in the thyroid and regional lymph nodes, as well as on thyroid scanning findings. The method of choice in repeat surgery should be extrafascial subtotal or total thyroidectomy with the revision of regional metastases zones and performing lymphadenectomy, if indicated.