The aim of the study was to present a retrospective analysis of the experience with completion thyroidectomy for benign thyroid disease in a referral centre.Material and methods. Between October 1999 and December 2007, 2353 thyroid operations were performed for benign diseases. Of these, 113 patients (12 men, 101 women; age: 25-77 years) underwent a reoperation for recurrent goitre (n=107) or recurrent Grave's disease (n=6). A bilateral resection was performed in 33 patients, a unilateral in 80 patients. The mean interval between the initial and the reoperative procedure was 14.5 years.Results. The mean operative time was 78 minutes (range: 20-210) with 68 minutes for unilateral and 96 minutes for bilateral operations. Postoperative complications consisted of transient hypoparathyroidism in 6 patients (5.3%); no patient experienced a permanent hypoparathyroidism. A transient recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) palsy occurred in 6 cases (4.1% of "nerves at risk") and a definitive bilateral RLN palsy was registered in a patient with a preoperative unilateral RLN palsy (0.9%). In 4 patients (3.5%) a postoperative bleeding required reoperation. No wound infection was observed. The mean postoperative hospital stay was 2.3 days. Final histology showed a thyroid cancer in 6 patients (5.3%).Conclusion. In experienced hands, reoperative thyroid surgery can be performed safely and with limited morbidity.
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