Thyroid surgery in children: our experience.

Abstract

Thyroid surgery in children is arare operation. The aim of our paper is to point out the specifics of thyroid surgery in children. Retrospective analysis of patients hospitalized at the Department of Paediatric Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University and National Institute of ChildrensDiseases in Bratislava during a10-year period (20072016) who underwent thyroid surgeries. The retrospective analysis included 81 patients: 66 (81%) girls and 15 (19%) boys. The mean age of the patients was 14 years ±8 months (range 418 years). The most common indications for thyroid surgery were: anodule in 36 (44.4%) patients, Graves Basedow thyrotoxicosis in 19 (23.5%) patients, and suspected thyroid carcinoma in 11 (13.6%) patients. Cervical lymph node metastases (mts) were diagnosed in 9 (11.1%) patients, and distant pulmonary metastases in 5 (6.17%) patients. Total thyroidectomy (TTE) was performed in 43 (53%) patients, total lobectomy (TL) in 20 (24.7%) patients. Extended surgery on regional lymph nodes was performed in 9 (11.1%) patients. Eight (9.9%) patients underwent reoperation. Atotal of 12 (14.8%) patients experienced postoperative complications. Unilateral transient recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) paralysis occurred in 2 patients, and permanent in one patient. Transient postoperative hypoparathyroidism with hypocalcaemia was reported in 8 (9.9%) patients; no permanent condition of this type was observed. Multidisciplinary collaboration ensures that optimal surgical results are achieved in the patients. Experience of the surgeon performing thyroid surgery in children remains crucial.