Surgery For Benign Thyroid Disease Research Articles

Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma: Differences between Lesions in Incidental and Nonincidental Settings-Considerations on These Clinical Entities and Personal Experience.

Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) represents 35-40% of all papillary cancers; it is defined as a nodule ≤ 10 mm at the time of histological diagnosis. The clinical significance of PTMC is still controversial, and it may be discovered in two settings: incidental PTMC (iPTMC), in which it is identified postoperatively upon histological examination of thyroid specimens following thyroid surgery for benign disease, and nonincidental PTMC (niPTMC), in which it is diagnosed before surgery. While iPTMC appears to be related to mild behavior and favorable clinical outcomes, niPTMC may exhibit markers of aggressiveness. We retrospectively review our experience, selecting 54 PTMCs: 28 classified as niPTMC (52%) and 26 classified as iPTMC (48%). Patients with niPTMC showed significant differences, such as younger age at diagnosis (p < 0.001); a lower male/female ratio (p < 0.01); a larger mean nodule diameter (p < 0.001); and a higher rate of aggressive pathological findings, such as multifocality, capsular invasion and/or lymphovascular invasion (p = 0.035). Other differences found in the niPTMC subgroup included a higher preoperative serum TSH level, higher hospital morbidity and a greater need for postoperative iodine ablation therapy (p < 0.05), while disease-free long-term survival did not differ between subgroups (p = 0.331) after a mean follow-up (FU) of 87 months, with one nodal recurrence among niPTMCs. The differences between iPTMC and niPTMC were consistent: patients operated on for total thyroidectomy and showing iPTMC can be considered healed after surgery, and follow-up should be designed to properly calibrate hormonal supplementation; conversely, niPTMC may sometimes exhibit aggressive behavior, and so the FU regimen should be closer and aimed at early detection of cancer recurrence.

SAT528 Evaluation of Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy Results in Patients with History of Thyroid Surgery for Benign Thyroid Disease

Abstract Disclosure: A.S. Can: None. J. Naran: None. Objective: We aimed to compare our thyroid fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy results in patients with history of thyroid surgery for benign thyroid disease and in patients without history of thyroid surgery. Material and Method: FNAs were performed between January 2016 and December 2020. The demographic data and outcomes were reviewed retrospectively. The results were presented per nodule, not per patient. FNA was performed on two groups: Group 1: nodules with history of thyroid surgery for benign thyroid disease, and Group 2: nodules without history of thyroid surgery. FNA results were categorized as malignant, benign, indeterminate, and unsatisfactory. FNAs were performed under ultrasound guidance. Results: 711 thyroid nodules underwent ultrasound guided FNA. 18 FNAs were performed on nodules diagnosed in patients who had history of thyroid surgery for benign thyroid disease (Group 1). Average age and standard deviation (SD) of Group 1 were 63±10 years. Average maximum size of nodules in Group 1 was 20±12 mm and average volume was 5.4±13.0 mL. Group 1 nodules had surgery on average 18±10 years ago. Thirteen nodules had hemithyroidectomy, three subtotal thyroidectomy and two nodule removal only. 693 FNAs were performed on nodules diagnosed in patients without history of thyroid surgery (Group 2). Average age and SD of Group 2 patients were 58±14 years. Average maximum size of nodules in Group 2 was 21±11 mm and average volume was 4.7±9.7 mL. FNA results in Group 1 versus Group 2 nodules were as follows: malignant 0% versus 3% (n=0 versus n=22), benign 72% versus 68% (n=13 versus n=470), indeterminate 6% versus 10% (n=1 versus n=70), unsatisfactory 22% versus 19 % (n=4 versus n=131), Chi-Square= 1.08, degrees of freedom= 3, p= 0.78. There was no statistical difference between groups in biopsy results. The chi-square statistic may not be reliable because two of the expected frequencies were less than 5. Conclusions: We did not observe any malignancy in patients with thyroid nodules who had history of thyroid surgery for benign thyroid disease. FNA performed similarly well whether there was history of thyroid surgery for benign thyroid disease or not. Further studies on larger group of patients with history of thyroid surgery for benign disease can be considered to confirm our findings. Presentation Date: Saturday, June 17, 2023

The outcome of total intracapsular thyroidectomy as a choice of surgery for benign thyroid diseases

Background: The prevalence of thyroid diseases is growing which will raise the total amount of thyroid surgeries. The parathyroid glands and the recurrent laryngeal nerve damage are the commonest complications encountered. There is a need for a technique to decrease the chance of damaging these important structures during surgery. Patients and methods: 97 patients with benign thyroid diseases underwent total intracapsular thyroidectomies between January 2020 and April 2022 Results: there was no permanent or temporary affection of the recurrent laryngeal nerve. Three cases had hypocalcemia 2 of which required hospital admission for IV medications. 2 cases showed affection of the external laryngeal nerve which improved after one month Conclusion: Total intracapsular thyroidectomy has a lower rate of complications in benign thyroid diseases as it has less affection of the recurrent laryngeal nerve and the parathyroid glands as both are not encountered during the procedure due to the change of dissection planes.

Incidentally discovered papillary thyroid microcarcinoma in patients undergoing thyroid surgery for benign disease.

The incidence of thyroid carcinoma has grown significantly over the last few decades. A possible explanation is the increased diagnosis of small thyroid microcarcinoma (TMc). TMc reach a maximum diameter of ≤1 cm, identified during histopathology examination following a thyroidectomy performed for reasons not pertaining to malignancy. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMc) according to the benign pathology that refers patients to surgery and its trend evolution. Retrospective cohort analysis of 1815 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy for non-malignant diseases in the 2005-2020 period. The mean age of the subjects was 53.5 years, with a higher proportion of women (1481, 82.1%). A total of 167 PTMc (9.3%) were incidentally discovered. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed, showing no differences in prevalence according to sex or age in patients with PTMc compared to final benign histology. Multinodular goiter increases the risk of PTMc with an odds ratio of 2.2 (p = 0.001) compared to Hashimoto's thyroiditis and Graves' disease (GD). There is a statistically significant increase in the incidence of PTMc in the group operated in the 2017-2020 vs. 2005-2008 period (p = 0.005). The overall prevalence of PTMc in patients who underwent thyroid surgery for the benign disease was 9.3%. Thyroid nodular hyperplasia was the most frequent benign pathology associated with PTMc compared to Hashimoto's or GD. Gender and age were not correlated with the prevalence of TMc. Over the years, surgical findings of PTMc have grown, particularly in the 2017-2020 period.

Mortality after benign thyroid surgery in patients aged 80 years or older

IntroductionA recent report from the United Nations showed that aged people are increasing worldwide. Few data exist on overall survival for patients 80 years or older undergoing benign thyroid surgery. Short- and long-term survival and risk factors for death in patients undergoing thyroid surgery for benign disease were evaluated, using a nationwide, population-based quality register.MethodsPatients operated for benign thyroid disease, 2004 to 2017, were collected from the national quality register for thyroid surgery. Mortality data were retrieved from the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare. Mortality at 30 days, 90 days, and 1 year after surgery, for patients 80 years or older, was calculated. Overall survival was calculated using the Kaplan–Meier estimate. Risk factors for mortality were assessed with Cox’s multiple regression analysis. The standardized mortality ratio was calculated.ResultsThere were 17,969 patients. Among them, 483 patients were 80 years or older, and of these, 397 (82.2%) were women. The mortality rate at 0–30 days, 31–90 days, and at 91–365 days after surgery was 0.4%, 0.2%, and 2.5%, respectively. The median (IQR) follow-up time was 4.5 (2.9–7.2) and the median (IQR) survival time was 8.0 (4.1–12.5) years. Apart from age, there was no other risk factor for death. The standardized mortality ratio (SMR) was 0.67 (0.49–0.91) for men and 0.76 (0.65–0.89) for women.ConclusionMortality after surgery for benign thyroid disease in patients 80 years or older was lower than the general population with no specific risk factors for death except for age.

Recurrent laryngeal nerve paresis in benign thyroid surgery with and without intraoperative nerve monitoring.

Recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) paresis is a rare but serious complication in thyroid surgery. Intermittent intraoperative nerve monitoring (IONM) was thought to prevent paresis of the RLN, but until today data are not conclusive. Our objective was to confirm the hypothesis that IONM can reduce paresis of RLN compared to nerve visualization alone. Therefore, we examined one of the largest cohorts ever evaluated of a tertiary referral center for endocrine surgery undergoing thyroid surgery for benign thyroid disease. Overall, 2097 patients who underwent thyroid surgery for benign thyroid disease in 2016 and 2017 were evaluated. RLN was identified by IONM or visualization only. Preoperative and postoperative laryngoscopic examination was used to evaluate RLN paresis. Patients' characteristics and perioperative data were extracted retrospectively. Overall, 1963 patients (2720 nerves at risk [NAR]) were included in this study: 378 surgeries with IONM (560 NAR) and 1585 without IONM (2160 NAR). Transient and permanent RLN pareses were found in 13 (3.4%; NAR=2.3%) and one (0.3%; NAR=0.2%) nerve treated with IONM vs. 37 (2.3%; NAR=1.7%) and five (0.3%; NAR=0.2%) nerves without IONM (P=0.507; NAR P=0.654), respectively. Using intermittent IONM, our retrospective study could not demonstrate a significant decrease of RLN pareses in patients undergoing thyroid surgery for benign thyroid disease. This is probably explained by the very low overall number of RLN pareses in our department. Nevertheless, because of patients' safety to avoid any bilateral RLN pareses, we recommend IONM in bilateral resections.

Register-based information on thyroid diseases in Europe: lessons and results from the EUthyroid collaboration.

ObjectiveRegisters of diagnoses and treatments exist in different forms in the European countries and are potential sources to answer important research questions. Prevalence and incidence of thyroid diseases are highly dependent on iodine intake and, thus, iodine deficiency disease prevention programs. We aimed to collect European register data on thyroid outcomes to compare the rates between countries/regions with different iodine status and prevention programs.DesignRegister-based cross-sectional study.MethodsNational register data on thyroid diagnoses and treatments were requested from 23 European countries/regions. The provided data were critically assessed for suitability for comparison between countries/regions. Sex- and age-standardized rates were calculated.ResultsRegister data on ≥1 thyroid diagnoses or treatments were available from 22 countries/regions. After critical assessment, data on medication, surgery, and cancer were found suitable for comparison between 9, 10, and 13 countries/regions, respectively. Higher rates of antithyroid medication and thyroid surgery for benign disease and lower rates of thyroid hormone therapy were found for countries with iodine insufficiency before approx. 2001, and no relationship was observed with recent iodine intake or prevention programs.ConclusionsThe collation of register data on thyroid outcomes from European countries is impeded by a high degree of heterogeneity in the availability and quality of data between countries. Nevertheless, a relationship between historic iodine intake and rates of treatments for hyper- and hypothyroid disorders is indicated. This study illustrates both the challenges and the potential for the application of register data of thyroid outcomes across Europe.

Implications of radiofrequency ablation in patients undergoing thyroid surgery for benign disease in the United States

BackgroundRadiofrequency ablation is an alternative strategy for the management of benign thyroid conditions. We analyzed the proportion of patients who underwent thyroid surgery for benign conditions who would be potentially eligible for radiofrequency ablation. MethodsWe identified patients who underwent thyroid surgery from 2015 to 2019 at the study institution for Bethesda II cytopathology or toxic adenoma. Patients were considered potentially eligible for radiofrequency ablation if they had a dominant nodule >2 cm with or without compression symptoms, a dominant nodule <2 cm with compression symptoms, or a toxic adenoma. ResultsOf 411 patients in total, 284 (69.1%) would be eligible to consider thyroid radiofrequency ablation. In the radiofrequency ablation–eligible group, 20 (7.0%) experienced voice change after surgery, and 2 (0.7%) were dissatisfied or concerned about their scar. In the radiofrequency ablation–eligible group, 70 patients (24.6%) had malignancy diagnosed by final pathology, and 23 patients (8.1%) had cancers that were equal to or larger than 1 cm in size. ConclusionMany patients who undergo surgery for benign thyroid disease could be considered for radiofrequency ablation as an alternative treatment modality. Given the rate of occult malignancy, optimal evaluation of nondominant nodules before radiofrequency ablation and long-term thyroid surveillance for patients who undergo radiofrequency ablation should be further studied.

The circumstances in which recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy occurs after surgery for benign thyroid disease: a retrospective study of 1026 patients

To evaluate the circumstances in which recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy occurs after thyroid surgery. This study assessed 1026 patients who underwent surgery for benign thyroid disease over a seven-year period in a retrospective, single-centre study. With a total of 1835 recurrent laryngeal nerves at risk, there were 38 cases (2.07 per cent) of transient recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy and 8 (0.44 per cent) of permanent recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy. No explanation was found for 10 of the 46 cases of recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy. Among the 38 other cases, the probable causes included poor identification of the recurrent laryngeal nerve during surgery, involuntary resection of the nerve and several other factors. Apart from accidental resection of the recurrent laryngeal nerve during thyroid surgery, the causes of post-operative recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy are often unclear and likely multifactorial. Poor identification of the recurrent laryngeal nerve during surgery is still the main cause of post-operative recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy, even when intra-operative neuromonitoring is used.

Greetings From the Editor of Clinical Thyroidology

Clinical ThyroidologyVol. 32, No. 11 Greetings from the EditorFree AccessGreetings From the Editor of Clinical ThyroidologyAngela M. LeungAngela M. LeungSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:2 Nov 2020https://doi.org/10.1089/ct.2020;32.499-500AboutSectionsPDF/EPUB Permissions & CitationsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail DEAR COLLEAGUES,Welcome again to another issue of Clinical Thyroidology. We just held our annual editorial board meeting, during which I was pleased to review our rapidly growing global readership and enthusiastic interest in the journal's content. I'm also glad to share that we very much look forward to welcoming several new editorial board members at the start of the upcoming new year; this will further diversify the perspectives of our commentaries.This month's issue begins with Dr. Charles Emerson's review of a study using Mendelian randomization to assess the causal relationships between serum thyroid function and cardiometabolic risk factors. Dr. Elizabeth Pearce discusses a study examining the trends of serum TSH values among patients with hypothyroidism treated with either levothyroxine or desiccated thyroid extract.On the topic of thyroid nodules, Drs. Masha Livhits and Michael Yeh discuss a study on the cytologically indeterminate and molecularly benign thyroid nodules that undergo thyroid surgery.The majority of the current issue covers hot topics from the recent thyroid cancer literature. Dr. Tyler Drake reviews the promising results of the selpercatinib trial (LIBRETTO-001) that led to the drug's U.S. approval for RET-altered thyroid cancers. In his piece, Dr. Jochen Lorch presents the key takeaways from the thyroid cancer abstracts presented at the recent European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) annual conference. A study summarizing the decreasing temporal trends of radioactive iodine use in the United States is presented by Dr. Trevor Angell. Dr. Bernadette Biondi summarizes a study on patients’ reactions upon receiving a diagnosis of a cytologically indeterminate thyroid nodule or of a papillary thyroid cancer. Regarding pediatric thyroid cancer, Dr. Catherine Dinauer reviews a study examining some key differences between the Dutch and American pediatric thyroid cancer guidelines.It is important to also consider the complex issue of social determinants and potential risks of patients faced with the need to undergo thyroid surgery. A study reviewed by Drs. Colleen Gavigan and David Cooper in this month's issue highlights the racial disparities present in patients who undergo thyroid surgery for benign thyroid disease in the U.S. Dr. Lilah Morris-Wiseman summarizes a study examining the quality-of-life effects of postoperative hypoparathyroidism, a rare but important complication of thyroid cancer surgery.As always, thank you to all our readers who are connecting with us through our social media platforms. I invite everyone to join the conversations regarding the content covered in each month's issue and other related topics:Twitter:https://twitter.com/clinicalthyroid(@clinicalthyroid)Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ThyroidAssociationLinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/american-thyroid-associationYoutube:https://www.youtube.com/user/thyroidorgAlso, remember that most of the material covered in Clinical Thyroidology is also translated into shorter lay summaries in our sister journal, Clinical Thyroidology for the Public [CTFP] (https://www.thyroid.org/patient-thyroid-information/ct-for-patients), that is edited by Dr. Alan Farwell and his team each month. The summaries in CTFP may be of use to patients and the public who are interested in reading more about recently published studies in the clinical thyroid literature.I hope that each issue provides helpful reviews, commentaries, editorials, and perspectives regarding how best to treat patients with thyroid disease. Guidelines for Letters to the Editor and select Guest Editorials that cover timely and innovative aspects of clinical thyroid disease management may be found at https://home.liebertpub.com/publications/clinical-thyroidologyand174/623/for-authors.Thank you for your interest in Clinical Thyroidology. Please feel free to send me any questions or comments at clinicalthyroidology@thyroid.org.Warmest regards,Angela M. Leung, MD, MScEditor-in-Chief, Clinical ThyroidologyFiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 32Issue 11Nov 2020 InformationCopyright 2020 American Thyroid Association, Inc.To cite this article:Angela M. Leung.Greetings From the Editor of Clinical Thyroidology.Clinical Thyroidology.Nov 2020.499-500.http://doi.org/10.1089/ct.2020;32.499-500Published in Volume: 32 Issue 11: November 2, 2020PDF download

Importance of ELABELA in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant lesions of the thyroid gland.

This study investigated whether ELABELA plays a role in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant lesions of the thyroid gland. Of the 87 patients included in the study, 12 had undergone surgery for benign thyroid diseases, 30 had papillary thyroid cancer without invasion and/or lymph node metastasis in the surrounding tissues in the pathology report, and 45 had papillary thyroid cancer with invasion and/or lymph node metastasis in the surrounding tissues. In the macrocarcinoma group, the proportion of patients with severe ELABELA staining (61.1%) was higher than that in the adenoma (50%) and microcarcinoma (23.8%) groups, while the proportion of those with mild to moderate staining was lower (p < 0.001). In the microcarcinoma group, the proportion of patients with severe staining was lower than that in the adenoma group, while the proportion of those with mild to moderate staining was higher (p < 0.001). In papillary thyroid carcinomas, the rates of moderate and severe staining in the classical variant, mild staining in the follicular variant, severe staining in the classical + follicular variant, and severe staining in the oncocytic variant were higher. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to be conducted on this subject. In this study, ELABELA was not found to be significant in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant lesions of the thyroid gland. In papillary thyroid carcinomas, severe ELABELA staining patterns were more common in macrocarcinoma patients than in microcarcinoma patients.

Incidentally discovered thyroid microcarcinomas in patients undergoing thyroid surgery for benign disease

Incidentally discovered thyroid microcarcinomas in patients undergoing thyroid surgery for benign disease

Racial disparities in surgical outcomes for benign thyroid disease

IntroductionPrevious studies have shown racial disparities in surgical outcomes in malignant thyroid disease. We hypothesize that minority groups have a higher incidence of postoperative complications following surgery for benign thyroid disease. MethodsUsing NSQIP (2016–2017), patients (>17 years) undergoing thyroid surgery for benign disease were identified. Outcomes included neck hematoma, recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injury, and hypocalcemia. Multivariate analysis was performed controlling for patient factors. Results6817 patients were identified. Postoperative outcomes were neck hematoma (2.0%), RLN injury (5.2%), and significant hypocalcemia (4.9%). Compared to White patients, Black patients had higher chance of neck hematoma (OR 2.32, 95% CI 1.51–3.55) and RLN injury (OR 1.97, 95% CI 1.53–2.55) while Asian patients had significantly greater odds of RLN injury (OR 1.88, 95% CI 1.15–3.06). ConclusionMinority compared to White patients are more likely to have significant postoperative complications which indicates racial disparities in the surgical treatment for benign thyroid disease.

SAT-427 Quality of Life Following Treatment for Graves’ Disease: A Comparison of Radioactive Iodine Ablation and Surgery

Introduction: Quality of Life (QoL) is reduced in patients with Graves’ disease, however the impact of treatment modality is unclear, with conflicting evidence from recent studies (1–3). We hypothesized that surgery would have a greater impact than radioiodine on QoL in Graves’ disease, especially with regard to the physical-symptom subdomain. Methods: Patients treated with thyroid surgery for benign disease (n=425) or radioactive iodine for hyperthyroidism (n=1637) at a single tertiary institution between 2000 and 2017 were invited to complete a validated thyroid-specific QoL instrument (City of Hope), reporting scores 0–10, where higher scores are associated with greater QoL. Responses were received from 307 patients, of whom 114 (37%) had Graves’ disease, treated with total thyroidectomy (n=23) or doses of 15mCi (550MBq) radioiodine (n=91, including 19 patients receiving 2 or more doses). The results of patients with Graves’ disease are reported here. Medians [interquartile ranges] are compared with the Mann-Whitney test (alpha 0.05). Results: 85% of respondents were female, with no difference in gender between groups (p=0.11). Thyroidectomy patients were more likely to be younger (36 [31–49] vs 50 [39–59] years, p=0.004); and have a shorter duration between treatment and survey (5.9 [2.4–9.6] vs 7.6 [4.9–11.6] years, p=0.04). No overall QoL deficit was seen in patients treated with surgery compared to radioiodine (6.8 [5.2–7.3] vs 7.0 [5.8–8.1], p=0.08). However, patients treated with surgery reported reduce QoL in psychological (6.6 [4.7–7.5] vs 7.0 [5.9–8.2] p=0.05) and social (7.9 [6.4 – 8.9] vs 8.9 [7.4–9.8] p=0.01) subdomains compared to radioiodine-only treated patients. Within the social subdomain, the QoL detriment was driven by lower scores relating to questions regarding impact on personal and family relationships, support, and isolation (p<0.001), and not by impact on activities of daily living or employment concerns. Interestingly, there was no between group difference in the physical symptom subdomain (p=0.16). QoL differences between treatment modalities were preserved when patients receiving multiple doses of radioiodine were excluded. Discussion In this non-randomised cross-sectional study from a tertiary-hospital population in Australia, a QoL deficit was demonstrable in subdomain scores for patients with Graves’ disease treated with surgery compared to radioiodine, although the overall result was not significantly different. Better understanding of patient experiences is required to guide treatment strategies and appropriately counsel patients. References (1) Torring et al. Thyroid. 2019;29(3):322–31. (2) Abraham-Nordling et al. Thyroid. 2005;15(11):1279–86. (3) Ljunggren et al. Thyroid. 1998;8(8):653–9.

Impact of total thyroidectomy on quality of life at 6 months: the prospective ThyrQoL multicentre trial.

This study is to determine the impact of complications after total thyroidectomy on health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) and to identify significant predictive factors of HR-QoL changes. HR-QoL is usually impaired in patients with thyroid diseases compared to the general population. Thyroidectomy is largely performed in the case of benign thyroid benign and can be associated with long-term complications (vocal cord palsy, hypoparathyroidism). The prospective ThyrQoL multicenter trial (NCT02167529) included 800 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy for benign or malignant non-extensive disease in seven French referral hospitals between 2014 and 2016. HR-QoL was assessed using the MOS 36-item short form health survey (SF-36) self-questionnaire with a 6-month follow-up. We observed a significant improvement of HR-QoL 6 months after surgery (P < 0.0001). Postoperative complications were associated with a non-significant impairment of HR-QoL. In multivariable analysis, Graves' disease was associated with a significant improvement of HR-QoL (OR = 2.39 [1.49; 3.84]) and thyroid malignant disease with an impairment of HR-QoL (OR = 1.44 [0.99; 2.08]) after thyroidectomy. We observed a significant improvement of HR-QoL 6 months after total thyroid surgery for benign thyroid disease.

Incidental thyroid papillary microcarcinoma on 1777 surgically treated patients for benign thyroid disease

Summary Background We evaluated the frequency of incidental papillary thyroid microcarcinomas (mPTC) in thyroidectomies performed for benign diseases, to better characterize this nosologic entity and to assess the best treatment. Methods Between 2009 and 2017, a total of 1777 patients underwent surgery for benign thyroid disease. Patients with preoperative undetermined or positive for malignancy cytology were excluded, as well as incidental thyroid cancer larger than 1 cm. Results Total thyroidectomy was performed in 1649 patients (92.7%) and hemithyroidectomy in 128 (7.2%). Papillary thyroid cancer, sized between 2–10 mm, was found in 89 patients (5%), which were all by definition microcarcinomas (mPTC). In 11 patients mPTCs were multifocal and in 7 bilateral. Just 6 patients received hemithyroidectomy and later underwent radical surgery without complications. No tumor-related morbidity or mortality was observed. The χ2 test showed a statistically significant association between mPTC and non-toxic multinodular goiter. Discussion In the literature, the rates of incidental mPTC vary, due to various factors such as histopathological examination and sampling numbers. Regarding surgical treatment, some authors support a “conservative” approach for the positive prognosis, but considering that it can be associated with mortality, lymph node recurrence and metastasis, its treatment is still controversial. Conclusions Our experience confirms that total thyroidectomy in multinodular goiter is a safe procedure, which ensures endocrine control and oncologic complete tumor resection, in case of mPTC. In uninodular goiter, we recommend hemithyroidectomy; if mPTC is discovered, we suggest radical surgery especially in patients older than 50 years and with familial disposition for thyroid cancer and peripheral tumors larger than 5 mm and aggressive variants.

Current Practice of Surgery for Benign Goitre-An Analysis of the Prospective DGAV StuDoQ|Thyroid Registry.

Background: To evaluate the current indications, resection strategies and short-term outcomes of surgery for benign goitre in a country with endemic goitre. Methods: Data of patients who underwent surgery for benign goitre were retrieved from the prospective StuDoQ/Thyroid registry and retrospectively analysed regarding the patient’s demographics, indications for surgery, surgical procedures, histology, and perioperative outcomes. Results: In a 15-month period, 12,888 patients from 83 departments underwent thyroid resections for benign conditions. Main indications for surgery were exclusion of malignancy (68%), compression symptoms (20.7%) and hyperthyroidism (9.7%). Preoperative fine needle aspiration cytology was performed in only 12.2% of patients with the indication “exclusion of malignancy”. Thyroidectomy (49.8%) or hemithyroidectomy (36.9%) were performed in 86.7% of patients. Minimally invasive or alternative surgical techniques were applied in only 2.2%. Intraoperative neuromonitoring was used in 98.4% of procedures, in 97.5% of patients at least one parathyroid gland was visualized, and in 15.3% of patients parathyroid tissue was autografted, respectively. The rates of unilateral and bilateral transient recurrent nerve palsy were 3.6% and 0.07% of nerves at risk, the rate of transitory hypoparathyroidism was 15.3%. The rates of postoperative bleeding and wound infections requiring reoperation were 1.4% and 0.07%, respectively. Conclusions: The indication “exclusion of malignancy” is made too liberally, and there is a strong attitude to perform complete thyroid resections. Postoperative hypoparathyroidism is the major complication after surgery for benign thyroid disease, thus requiring more awareness.

Incidental thyroid papillary microcarcinoma: survival and follow-up.

The aim was to study the survival of incidental thyroid papillary microcarcinoma patients treated with surgery for benign thyroid disease to validate absence of oncological follow-up and reduce unnecessary health expenses. Retrospective cohort study. We analyzed patient's files and interviewed 252 patients by telephone whose cases were submitted to the multidisciplinary meeting of thyroid pathology in Strasbourg, France, for incidental thyroid papillary microcarcinoma without clinical lymph node involvement, between January 1996 and December 2012. Thirteen patients (5.8%) died while the data were being collected; however, none of the deaths were due to the thyroid pathology, and no patients showed signs of relapse of the thyroidectomy or cervical lymph node level. Our retrospective study shows that patients with incidental localized thyroid papillary microcarcinoma who underwent surgery without radioactive iodine treatment have an identical survival compared to the general population at the same age to validate absence of oncological follow-up and reduce unnecessary health expenses. 3 Laryngoscope, 129:1722-1726, 2019.

The increasing prevalence of chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis in papillary microcarcinoma

Although the incidence of some malignancy has decreased over the recent years, this is not the case of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC), whose incidence has increased worldwide. Most PTMC are found incidentally after histological examination of specimens from surgery for benign thyroid disease. Hashimoto's thyroiditis, whose incidence has also increased, coexists in about one in three PTMC patients. Three different mechanisms have been proposed to clarify the association between chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis and PTMC, namely tumor development/growth by: (i) TSH stimulation, (ii) expression of certain proto-oncogenes, (iii) chemokines and other molecules produced by the lymphocytic infiltrate. Whether Hashimoto's thyroiditis protects against lymph node metastasis is debated. Overall, autommune thyroiditis seems to contribute to the favorable prognosis of PTMC. Major limitations of the studies so far performed include: (i) retrospective design, (ii) limited statistical power, (iii) high risk of selection bias, (iv) and predominant Asian ethnicity of patients. Full genetic profiling of both diseases and identification of environmental factors capable to trigger them, as well as well-powered prospective studies on different ethnical groups, may help understand their causal association and why their frequencies are continuing raising.

Surgery of benign thyroid disease by ENT/head and neck surgeons and general surgeons: 233 cases of vocal fold paralysis in 3509 patients.

Thyroid surgery is mainly performed by general surgeons (GS). The aim of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficiency of thyroid surgery by ENT/head and neck surgeons (ENT), especially regarding the incidence of vocal fold palsy (VFP). We retrospectively analysed 3509 patients (69.0% female) who underwent surgery for benign thyroid diseases (56.8% nodular goitre, 18.6% inactive nodes, 14.0% thyroid autonomy, 7.0% Graves' disease). Operations were mainly performed with intraoperative neuromonitoring by GS (n = 1933) or physicians trained for head and neck surgery (n = 1576). 18.7% of the procedures were carried out by residents in training. VFP occurred in 233 subjects (6.6%); 6.2% in females and 7.6% in males. A lower rate (p < 0.001) was observed in operations performed by ENT (4.7%) than by GS (8.2%). No increased incidence of VFP was seen for surgeries performed by physicians in training (6.2%, n = 657). Prevalence of VFP was not different for minimally invasive (6.3%, n = 950) and conventional surgery (6.8%, n = 2559), but higher in total (7.2%, n = 1916) than in subtotal thyroidectomy (5.0%, n = 997). Postoperative haemorrhage (5.6 vs. 1.9%) and hypocalcaemia < 2.0mmol/l (32.8 vs. 22.0%) were documented more frequently in patients with VFP, also substitution therapy with calcium (23.2 vs. 14.7%) and dihydrotachysterol (8.1 vs. 3.7%) had to be applied more frequently. Thyroid surgery performed by surgeons specifically trained for ENT/head and neck surgery is safe and has a significantly reduced rate of VFP. VFP is associated with other complications (postoperative haemorrhaging, hypocalcaemia).