Endocrine Abstracts

The aim of this study was to examine the indications, the surgical result and the complications rate after thyroidectomy for patients aged 70 and over.

Material and methods: Retrospective analysis of 46 patients underwent thyroid surgery at District General Hospital.

Results: Micronodular goitre/20 patients/toxic thyroid/7 patients, and suspected malignancy/19 patients/was indication for surgery.

Twenty-four patients suffer compressive symptoms.

Twenty-three with associated co-morbidities. Unilateral lobectomy was performed in 24 patients, total thyroidectomy in 22 patients.

The incidence of temporary postoperative hypocalcemia was 11%/5 patients/with no patient suffering permanent hypoparathyroidism.

Temporary dysphonia noticed in 1 patient. There was no permanent laryngeal nerve injury.

The majority of patients/41/stayed at hospital 2–5 days postoperatively.

There was no morbility in operative and postoperative period.

Post-op follow-up showed regression and improvement of clinical symptoms complained by the patients.

Conclusions: Surgery may be the only definitive option of treatment for thyroid disease in same elderly patients. The study demonstrated the patients above 70 tolerated surgery well although they have significant co-morbidities. Even in the presence of enlarged of retrosternal goitre surgery can be performed safely with complications of similar rate to what is encountered in some young individuals.

We believe large multinodular goitre with early compression symptoms should be operate earlier rather than postponed till the degree of compression.

Geriatric age is not surgical contraindications.