[Surgical treatment of thyroid diseases in geriatric patients]

Thyroid diseases have a characteristic evolution in geriatric age, whether for the symptomatology frequently mingled with typical manifestations of again, or for glandular involution. Moreover, in the aged patient, the particular aspect of the epidemiology, physiopathology, clinic and therapy are to know and interpret. In most cases, the presence of a uni- or multi-nodular goiter does not cause compression problems or cancerization risk. In the presence of these problems and in multi-nodular goiter, we prefer total thyroidectomy because, at the present time, it is possible to put at zero the risks of this operation, neither we fear hypothyroidism which all the same also appears in less extensive operations. Between thyroid diseases, cancer has a typical biological behaviour and prognosis in geriatric patients. While most tumors have a better curability in geriatric age, these have a worse prognosis. So therapeutic indications very as a function of age. About this the authors present preliminary data of a prospective trial started in 1992.