[Basedow's disease--thyroidectomy or subtotal resection?]

Postoperative complications and long-term results were retrospectively investigated after near total thyroidectomy due to Graves' disease in 73 patients. Postoperatively one permanent recurrent nerve palsy and one hypoparathyroidism were seen. Two patients had a postoperative bleeding and one patient had a wound infection. No patient died. After a median follow up time of 67 months 65 patients (89%) were seen. A recurrent hyperthyroidism developed 3% of the patients and 80% were hypothyroid. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of near total thyroidectomy in Graves' disease. With no mortality and low morbidity excellent long-term results could be achieved.