Impact of timing on completion thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer.

BACKGROUND: It has been stated that completion thyroidectomy for thyroid malignancy should be performed either within 10 days of the primary operation or after 3 months, to reduce the incidence of complications. The aim of this study was to review the impact of timing on the rate of complications following completion thyroidectomy.

METHODS: Data were obtained retrospectively from the Endocrine Surgery Thyroid Data Base, to which the records of all patients have been entered since 1957. The patients who had the last 100 consecutive completion thyroidectomies for thyroid cancer comprised the study group.

RESULTS: Sixty-three patients had the second operation performed within 10 days or more than 90 days after the initial operation (group 1). Thirty-seven patients had reoperation between 10 and 90 days after the first procedure (group 2). One patient (2 per cent) in group 1 and one patient (3 per cent) in group 2 suffered a permanent complication (P not significant).

CONCLUSION: There was no definite impact of the timing of surgery on the rate of complications after completion thyroidectomy.