Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to share our surgical approach and results in patients with benign and malignant thyroid diseases. METHODS: All patients who underwent thyroid gland surgery at our University Hospital Ear, Nose, and Throat Department between 2012 and 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. The study included 293 patients. RESULTS: Of the 293 patients included in the study, 76 (25.9%) were male and 217 (74.1%) were female. Mean follow-up period was 47.1 months. Patients' ages ranged from 4 to 77 years. In terms of the pathology, 160 patients had benign and 133 had neoplastic thyroid diseases. None of the patients who underwent thyroid surgery due to benign diseases required revision surgery. Recurrence occurred in 15 out of the 116 patients that were operated on for well-differentiated thyroid cancer. Out of these 15 patients with disease recurrence, 11 had biochemically incomplete responses and four had structurally recurrent diseases. CONCLUSION: Thyroidectomy, when performed safely and correctly, is a very effective way of treating both benign and malignant thyroid diseases. Total thyroidectomy or total lobectomy and isthmectomy are the gold-standard surgical approaches to prevent recurrence. A national form is needed regarding thyroid surgery for following up on patients and for the regular and systematic collection of data.