Influence of the refinement of surgical technique and surgeon's experience on the rate of complications after total thyroidectomy for benign thyroid disease.

Abstract

In recent years, many surgeons dealing with endocrine surgery have increasingly performed total thyroidectomy for benign thyroid disease. However, total excision of the thyroid in the treatment of benign lesions has been surrounded by even more controversy than its role in cancer treatment. The complication rate appears to be higher when the operation is done by inexperienced surgeons who have no special skills in endocrine surgery using proper techniques. The aim of this study is to determine whether surgeons experience and the refinement of surgical techniques are associated with postoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) palsy or hypocalcemia after total thyroidectomy for benign thyroid disease.