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Health Dictionary

Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions โ€” written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.

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Graves' disease surgery

Introduction

Overview

Overview

Thyroidectomy is recommended for some patients including, patients with large goiters, women wishing to become pregnant shortly after treatment, patients who want to avoid exposure to antithyroid drugs or radioiodine.

Surgery

Surgery

  • The patients’ thyroid hormone must be normalized before surgery to minimize the risk of surgery.
  • Treatment with inorganic iodide commencing 1 week before surgery may decrease thyroid blood flow, vascularity, and blood loss but does not otherwise influence surgical risk.[1]
  • Surgery is recommended for:[2]
  1. Patients with large goiters
  2. Women wishing to become pregnant shortly after treatment
  3. Patients who want to avoid exposure to antithyroid drugs or radioiodine.
  • The course of ophthalmopathy is not affected by thyroidectomy.
Advantages Disadvantages
Thyroidectomy
  • Rapid euthyroidism
  • Extremely rare recurrence
  • No radiation hazard
  • Definitive histologic results
  • Rapid relief of pressure symptoms
  • Most expensive therapy
  • Surgery and anesthesiology associated risks
  • Major complications in 1-4% (hypoparathyroidism, recurrent laryngeal nerve damage)
References

References

  1. โ†‘ Erbil Y, Ozluk Y, GiriลŸ M, Salmaslioglu A, Issever H, Barbaros U, Kapran Y, OzarmaฤŸan S, Tezelman S (2007). “Effect of lugol solution on thyroid gland blood flow and microvessel density in the patients with Graves’ disease”. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 92 (6): 2182โ€“9. doi:10.1210/jc.2007-0229. PMIDย 17389702.
  2. โ†‘ Bahn RS, Burch HB, Cooper DS, Garber JR, Greenlee MC, Klein I, Laurberg P, McDougall IR, Montori VM, Rivkees SA, Ross DS, Sosa JA, Stan MN (2011). “Hyperthyroidism and other causes of thyrotoxicosis: management guidelines of the American Thyroid Association and American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists”. Endocr Pract. 17 (3): 456โ€“520. PMIDย 21700562.

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1],Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Seyedmahdi Pahlavani, M.D. [2]