[Basedow-Graves' disease: operative treatment (author's transl)]

For hyperthyroidism of Basedow's or Graves' type, surgery is the treatment of choice for large goiter, particularly in the presence of mechanical irritation, for cases of unsuccessful conservative medical treatment, or for cases where 131I-irradiation is contraindicated. The operative risk is less than 1%. Adequate preoperative antithyroid medication is obligatory because surgery should be carried out under euthyroid conditions.