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Degree of technical difficulty of thyroidectomy for autoimmune thyroid disease
Author(s) -
Saadi Robert,
Brandt Alyssa,
Kim Yesul,
Cottrill Elizabeth,
Saunders Brian,
Schaefer Eric,
Goldenberg David
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
head and neck
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.012
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1097-0347
pISSN - 1043-3074
DOI - 10.1002/hed.25991
Subject(s) - medicine , thyroid , thyroiditis , thyroidectomy , malignancy , goiter , autoimmune thyroiditis , stage (stratigraphy) , gastroenterology , thyroid disease , multinodular goiter , disease , endocrinology , paleontology , biology
Background Our goal was to elucidate the differences in degree of technical difficulty of thyroidectomy in patients with autoimmune thyroid diseases. Methods Charts of adult patients who had undergone thyroidectomy were reviewed. Patients with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis (HT) or Graves' Disease (GD) were individually compared to a control group of patients with early stage malignancy or goiter. Results The HT (n = 65) group was significantly more likely to have friable ( P = .001) and fibrotic ( P < .001) thyroids, longer operative times ( P = .02), and a 22‐modifier ( P = .005). The GD (n = 169) group was significantly more likely to have friable ( P < .001), vascular ( P < .001), fibrotic ( P = .038), and heavy ( P = .002) thyroids, longer operative times ( P = .03), increased length of stay ( P = .01) and a 22‐modifier ( P = .01). Conclusion Our experience at an institution with a high‐volume thyroid practice demonstrates that patients with autoimmune thyroid disease have consistent qualitative changes of the thyroid and significantly increased operative times and surgical difficulty.