Patients with Graves’ disease undergoing total thyroidectomy experience a greater risk for complications compared with patients undergoing thyroidectomy who do not have Graves’ disease, according to findings published in Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery. Jennifer Liang, MD, and colleagues examined thyroidectomy data from 2007-2017 among patients with Graves’ disease compared with patients without the disease, excluding partial thyroidectomies and patients with a malignancy. Patients with Graves’ disease (N=5,495) had higher readmission rates (OR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.16-1.73) and reoperation rates (OR, 2.29; 95% CI, 1.88-2.79) compared with controls (N=24,213). They also had a higher rate of postoperative complications (OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.23-1.93), particularly for wound-related outcomes (OR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.32-2.69), read-mission for postoperative hypocalcemia (OR, 2.12; 95% CI, 1.54-2.92), and reoperation for hematoma or hemorrhage (OR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.32-2.69). “However, overall rates were low, suggesting that the procedure remains relatively low risk and should continue to be offered to select patients who meet criteria for surgery,” Dr. Liang and colleagues wrote.
