FREQUENCY OF EARLY COMPLICATIONS IN THYROID SURGERY

Abstract

OBJECTIVE

To determine the frequency of early complications among patients undergoing thyroid surgery at tertiary care hospital.

STUDY DESIGN

cross-sectional

PLACE AND DURATION OF THE STUDY

Department of General Surgery, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University (SMBBMU), Larkana, from 10^th July 2023 to 10^th December 2023.

METHODOLOGY

Patients who went through thyroid surgery and were between the ages of 20 and 70, regardless of gender, met the inclusion criteria. Patients with recurrent malignancy, recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis, laboratory evidence of hypoparathyroidism or recurrent goitre were excluded. Patients reported with thyroid surgery, including hypocalcaemia, hoarseness, dysphagia, haemorrhage, and wound infections. SPSS version 26 was used to statistically analyse the data.

RESULTS

The mean age of the 164 participants was noted as 46.65±9.75. Early complications in thyroid surgery were analysed across 164 patients who underwent various thyroidectomy procedures. Hypocalcaemia was the most common early complication, occurring in 51.2% (84/164) of patients, followed by hoarseness in 35.4% (58/164) with the odds ratios (hypocalcaemia OR=0.978, 95% CI: 0.704−1.357, p=0.876; hoarseness OR=1.252, 95% CI: C.I:0.879−1.785, p=0.185). Gender differences were also noted; hypocalcaemia was more common among female patients. This association was not statistically significant (p=0.588).

CONCLUSION

Hypocalcaemia and hoarseness were the most common early complications following thyroidectomy, particularly after total thyroidectomy. Patients with a diagnosis of female appeared to be more vulnerable to calcium imbalance after surgery; however, the difference was not statistically significant. Larger studies with longer follow-up periods are recommended to confirm these findings.