[Extracapsular lobectomy in benign monolobar thyroid diseases]

On the basis of their experience acquired in the field of thyroid surgery the authors examine the problems related to extracapsular lobectomy from a tactical and technical point of view, starting with its principal indications: benign monolobar thyroid disease in a single or multiple nodular form. The validity of extemporary histological tests is also assessed on the basis of their experience of rare false negatives and the relative successive totalization programme. Lastly, the paper underlines the fundamental identification of the recurrent nerve as the central point of the operation, before which the authors emphasize that nothing should be cut or ligated apart from the superior vascular peduncle and vena media.