Modified thyroidectomy: 4 techniques to prevent recurrent laryngeal nerve injury and postoperative hypocalcaemia

Abstract

Objective: To share 4 techniques that decrease the rate of postoperative hypocalcaemia and save recurrent laryngeal nerve with a good cosmetic outcome. Method: The research included all consecutive patients of thyroidectomy (hemi and total thyroidectomy) during 4-year practice. The techniques included (1) elevation of a circular flap after 4 cm collar incision. (2) Ligation of the pedicles (middle first-vein, inferior last-artery). (3) Sharp dissection of the parathyroid glands. (4) Sharp and blunt dissection and exposing the nerve in all of the patients. Result: The total numbers of patients were 2399. At least 1 symptom of hyperthyroidism was found in 1271 patients (53%). The main indication for operation was multinodular goiter and compression symptoms in 1331 (55.5%) patients, followed by thyrotoxicosis in 598 (25%) patients and malignancy in 402 (16.8%) patients. The most common operations were total thyroidectomy in 1880 (78.4%) patients, followed by thyroid lobectomy in 495 (20.6%) patients and completion thyroidectomy in 24 (1%) patients. Among all patients, 4 (0.16%) patients developed permanent voice change. Seven (0.3%) patients developed permanent hypocalcemia. Conclusion: This study offers a set of surgical techniques that reduced the risks of complications of thyroidectomy to a minimal range.