Research Article 
Esmael Saleh, Aamer Fakhree, Raid M Al-Ani
Abstract
Thyroidectomy is one of the common operations performed worldwide. It is a main option of
treatment for different benign and malignant thyroid problems. Despite improvements in
procedures have decreased mortality and even and morbidity rates to a minimum; however,
postoperative complications remain a major concern among surgeons. We aimed to evaluate the indications and complications of thyroidectomy. A Prospective study was conducted at AlRamadi Teaching Hospital/Ramadi city/Iraq during the period from January 2009 to January 2010. There were 130 patients underwent thyroidectomy. A demographic and clinical data for each patient was recorded to assess indications and complications of different types of thyroidectomies. The majority of the patients were females (93%). The most age group affected was 21-30 years (41.54%). Pressure symptoms were accounting for 61.54% of the indications. Thyroid enlargement in euthyroid states (80%) was the common presenting state. Subtotal thyroidectomy (58.46%) was the commonest procedure. Out of 130 patients, 36 patients (27.69%) were suffered from complications. The 2 most common complications encountered in the study were hypocalcemia (61.11%) and recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy (5.38%). In conclusion, subtotal thyroidectomy is a common procedure in our hospital. Compressive complaints were the most common indication. Hypocalcemia and recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy were the 2 most postoperative complications.
Keywords: Thyroidectomy Indications, Complications, Hypocalcemia, Vocal cord paralysis, Pressure symptoms