Endocrine Abstracts

Bakground: Thyroid-lobectomy is a frequent procedure performed in patients with a variety of thyroid conditions.The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of post-operative hypothyroidism and the risk factors of hypothyroidism in patients undergoing thyroid-lobectomy.

Patients and methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients who underwent a thyroid lobectomy for benign disease from january 2000 to 2014. Patients with known hypothyroidism before surgery or on thyroid hormone supressive therapy were excluded. We compared the age, the sex, the TSH level and the presence of thyroid antibodies between the patients who developped hypothyroidism after surgey and those without hypothyroidism.

Results: 69 patients underwent a thyroid-lobectomy for benign disease.

The mean age of patients at the moment of the thyroidectomy was 41.67±13.05 years, and the majority (95.7%) was female.

We identify a hypothyroidism in 28 patients (40.6%) with a mean duration of 35.1±49.8 months (1–168 months) after lobectomy. Subclinical hypothyroidism was present in 42,8%.

Patient with hypothyroidism had a higher pre-operative TSH level compared to euthyroid patients (2.28±1.08 vs. 1.15±0.60 μUI/ml, P=0.001). Preoperative TSH levels >2.5 μUI/ml showed significant correlation with postoperative hypothyroidism (P<0.0001). Nodules number was less in hypothyroidism group patient: 1.7 versus 2.5 (P<.0027). There was no significant relationship between age, sex and thyroid auto-antibodies and the subsequent risk of hypothyroidism.

Conclusions: The prevalence of post-hemithyroidectomy hypothyroidism was 40.6%.

A preoperative high-normal serum thyrotropin level as a risk factor of hypothyroidism was noted. Routine monitoring of serum thyrotropin level should be performed in all patients who undergo a hemithyroidectomy.