[Postoperative complications after thyroid surgery. Review of the literature and personal experience]

The authors make a review of the literature on the complications which occur after thyroidectomy. They report, moreover, a study carried out on 192 thyroidectomy performed between January 1992 and May 1995. The surgical technique employed foresees the systematic search for and saving of laryngeal nerves fibers and the parathyroid gland. Results were the incidence of postoperative hypocalcemia and of permanent hypocalcemia. The authors also analyse problems related to laryngeal nerves in matters of thyroid surgery. After a short introduction on surgical anatomy, attention is drawn to the "recurrent nerve risk" but also the superior laryngeal nerve too, often injured with modifications of the vocal tone and serious consequences for particular professional groups.