[Total thyroidectomy in the treatment of multinodular toxic goiter]

The Authors report their experience in the management of 201 patients with multinodular toxic goiter (MTG): 122 (60.7%) underwent subtotal thyroidectomy (STT), while 79 (39.3%) underwent total thyroidectomy (TT). Through a retrospective study the patients were stratified into two groups according to the type of operation (TT or STT). Overall, neither operative mortality nor recurrent nerve damage were encountered. Permanent hypocalcemia was observed in 7 patients (5.7%) who underwent STT and in 6 patients (7.5%) who underwent TT (p=N.S.), while transitory hypocalcemia was observed in 12 cases (9.8%) in group I and 11 cases (13.9%) in group II (p=N.S.). All patients were followed every 4 months for the first year and every 6 months thereafter. Average and median follow-up period were, respectively, 72 and 74 months. The Authors conclude that total thyroidectomy is the surgical treatment of choice in multinodular toxic goiter (MTG). A thorough anatomical-surgical evaluation is essential in order to prevent the complications characteristic of this type of surgery (inferior laryngeal nerve injury and hypoparathyroidism).