Multinodular goitre presenting as a clinical single nodule: how effective is hemithyroidectomy?

Patients who present with a single thyroid nodule that requires surgery will generally undergo hemithyroidectomy. If, however, the subsequent histological examination shows unsuspected multinodular change, there is a risk of recurrence in the remain ing lobe. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical outcome in patients who have had a hemithyroidectomy for a single thyroid nodule that was shown on subsequent histopathological examination to be part of a multinodular goitre.

A survey was undertaken of patients who were identified from a thyroid surgery database with the following criteria: (i) hemithyroidectomy for clinical single nodule; and (ii) multinodular change on histopathology. Main outcome measures were clinical recurrence rate, the frequency of further thyroid surgery, and the efficacy of thyroxine treatment on recurrence.

In the 229 patients studied, the clinical recurrence rate was 12%. Fourteen of the 28 patients with recurrence required further surgery. Thyroxine therapy did not influence the recurrence rate.

When surgery for a clinically benign single thyroid nodule is indicated, hemithyroidectomy is an adequate surgical procedure in cases where the single nodule is subsequently found to be part of a multinodular goitre. Such patients can be reassured that the chance of clinical recurrence is low. Thyroxine replacement therapy appears not to prevent recurrence.