Completion thyroidectomy for differentiated thyroid carcinoma

Completion thyroidectomy is performed because of a deferred diagnosis of differentiated carcinoma of the thyroid or a significant thyroid remnant after initial operation. During a period of 6 years, data from 40 patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma undergoing completion thyroidectomy were retrospectively reviewed. There were 4 men and 36 women (1:9), and the average age was 39.6+/-1.9 years (range, 20 to 62 years). The indications for the initial surgery were a solitary thyroid nodule in 36 (90%) patients, multinodular goiter in 3 (7.5%) patients, and Graves' disease in 1 (2.5%) patient. Three patients underwent completion thyroidectomy during the same hospital stay. In the remaining 37 patients, completion thyroidectomy was performed 4 to 252 days (44.1+/-7.8 days) after the initial operation. The length of hospital stay for the initial operation was not different from that for completion thyroidectomy (5.1+/-0.3 days vs. 5.2+/-0.3 days). The length of time needed to accomplish the initial operation was not different from that required for the completion thyroidectomy (122+/-7.5 minutes vs. 110.8+/-5.9 minutes). There was no 30-day perioperative mortality. The postoperative morbidity in completion thyroidectomy consisted of transient hypoparathyroidism in 3 (7.5%) patients, permanent hypoparathyroidism in 1 (2.5%) patient, transient recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy in 1 (2.5%) patient, and permanent recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy in 1 (2.5%) patient. On the other hand, one transient recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy and one transient hypoparathyroidism occurred at the initial operation. Completion thyroidectomy is a safe procedure to remove the thyroid remnant.