The Relationship between Giant Goiter and Operative Complications: A Retrospective Study

Abstract

Background: Thyroidectomy for giant goiter is a surgical challenge due to distorted and displaced anatomy. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between giant goiter and its operative complications. Material and Methods: A retrospective multicenter study of consecutive patients who had thyroid surgery was conducted, including 639 patients who undergone thyroidectomy in State hospital at Van and Corlu city—Turkey. Seven cases had giant goiter in the patients. Total thyroidectomy was performed all patients. Results: All patients were women. The mean weight of glands removed was 689 gr in giant goiter’s patients. Two operative complications had happened; right site injury of the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve had happened to one patient; hypocalcemia was happened to another one patient. In those two patients previously were operated partial thyroidectomy. Conclusions: Thyroidectomy for a massively enlarged goiter is technically challenging. The predominant operative complications were related to previously operate and the thyroid gland due to distorted and displaced anatomy. The surgical approach to such cases requires carefully preoperative evaluation and planning. Especially, using of intraoperative nerve monitoring is to be useful in these difficult cases which previously had undergone surgery.