• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.185-190
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• 1995

Transient and permanent hypocalcemia after various types of thyroidectomy are well-known complications, and are more common after bilateral subtotal thyroidectomy for Graves' disease. However, their causative mechanisms are not well explained. Four hundred thirty patients with Graves' disease who underwent bilateral subtotal thyroidectomy from January 1983 through December 1992 were analyzed to determine the incidence and risk factors for the development of postthyroidectomy hypocalcemia. Of the 430 patients underwent bilateral subtotal thyroidectomy, symptomatic transient and permanent hypocalcemia developed in 24.2 % (104/430) and 0.5 % (2/430), respectively. With analysis of potential risk factors, the increase in incidence of the postthyroidectomy hypocalcemia was found to be statistically related to the larger thyroid gland, the larger amount of blood loss during thyroidectomy, the smaller remnant thyroid tissue, the higher levels of serum alkaline phosphatase and TBII titers. Our data suggest that impairment of parathyroid gland blood supply, degree of thyrotoxic osteodystrophy and autoimmune process of each patient are regarded as main mechanisms of postthyroidectomy hypocalcemia in patients with Graves' disease.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.60-64
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• 2002

Objectives: Three classic treatment modalities have been used to treat Graves' disease: antithyroid medication, radioiodine ablation, and subtotal thyroidectomy. Postoperative thyroid functions were studied in patients with Graves' disease treated by subtotal thyroidectomy to evaluate the superiority of surgical treatment. Materials and Methods: One hundred fourty patients of Graves' disease were analysed retrospectively in follow-up for more than three years following subtotal thyroidectomy. Postoperative serum levels of $T_3,\;T_4, TSH, TSH-R Ab, free $T_4$, were evaluated to watch hypo- or hyperthyroidsm. Results: In the evaluation of preop- and postoperative thyroid function after three years of subtotal thyroidectomy, $T_3$ was changed from $464.10{\pm}196.16ng/dl$ to $140.41{\pm}76.56ng/dl$ in mean value, $T_4$ was changed from $20.76{\pm}7.98{\mu}g/dl$ to $9.54{\pm}4.02{\mu}g/dl$, $TSHT_3$ was changed from $0.55{\pm}4.42{\mu}u/ml$ to $4.96{\pm}7.20{\mu}u/ml$, TSH-R Ab was changed from $41.6{\pm}28.27%$ to $28.7{\pm}28.79%$ and free $T_4$ was changed from $4.45{\pm}2.33ng/dl$ to $1.44{\pm}0.69ng/dl$ in mean value. Euthyroidism was noted in 118 patients(84.3%), overt hyperthyroidism in 6 patiens(4.3%), latent hyperthyroidism in 8 patients(5.7%), overt hypothyroidism in 2 patint(1.4%), and latent hypothyroidism in 6 patients(4.3%). Of surgical complications, permanant hypoparathyroidism was found in one patient, recurrent laryngeal nerve injury in two patients, postoprative bleeding with reoperation in two patients, and death in one patient. Conclusion: The thyroid function after subtotal thyroidectomy in diffuse toxic goiter is normal level (euthyroidism) in 84.3% and low recurrence rate of hyperthyroidism is showed with rare surgical complication. Therefore, subtotal thyroidectomy in diffuse toxic goiter is more effective and safe than RI or longterm ATD treatment, if the operation is performed by skillful surgeon.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.35-39
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• 1997

Background: Completion thyroidectomy is defined as the surgical removal of the remnant thyroid tissue following procedures less than total or near-total thyroidectomy. Although some authors advocate subtotal thyroidectomy with lower complication rates, total or completion thyroidectomy have been defended by others because of the improved survival and lower morbidity that is comparable with subtotal thyroidectomy. Objectives: The purpose of this paper is to review the necessity and safety of completion thyroidectomy for differentiated thyroid carcinoma(DTC). Materials & Methods: During the past 10 years(1986 to 1996) , authors have performed 211 total thyroidectomy. Ten of these patients were treated by completion thyroidectomy for DTC. Initial operation of 7 patients had been performed at St. Vincents Hospital and 3 patients at other hospital. The medical records of patients undergoing completion thyroidectomy were retrospectively reviewed. Results: The completion thyroidectomy specimen contained residual tumor cells in 8 of the 8 patients with papillary carcinoma and none of the two patients with follicular carcinoma. Complications of completion thyroidectomy were transient hypoparathyroidism in two patients and transient unilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy in one patient. But permanent complications were not noticed. Conclusion: We recommend completion thyroidectomy as an efficient and safe method of surgical treatment with a low complication rate for DTC.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.234-243
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• 1993

The thyroid nodules are the most common endocrine disease requiring surgical management. Up to date, various diagnostic techniques and surgical management have been developed. Authors analysed 2285 cases of thyroid nodules who were treated at Department of Surgery, Pusan National University for the duration of 10 years from January 1980 to December 1989 and the results obtained were summerized as follows: 1) Patients were composed of 1727 cases(75.8%) of benign nodule and 558 cases(24.5%) of malignant nodule. Benign nodule was prevalent in forth and fifth decade comparing with malignant nodule was sixth and fifth decade. The sexual distribution revealed female preponderance with 1:10.8 in benign nodule and 1:9.3 in malignant nodule. 2) The histopathologic classfication of benign nodule in decreasing order of frequency were follicular adenoma 1009 cases(54.8%), adenomatous goiter 573 cases(33.3%), simple cyst 65 cases(3.8%), and Hashimoto's thyroiditis 52 cases(3.0%). The malignant disease were papillary adenocarcinoma 460 cases(82.4%), follicular adenocarcinoma 69 cases(12.4%), undifferentiated carcinoma 13 cases (2.0%), and medullary carcinoma 7 cases(1.0%). 3) Fine needle aspiration cytology was performed in 1758 cases and it showed 80.5% of sensitivity, 96.5% of specificity, 19.5% of false negative and 80% of accuracy. 4) The location of nodule was 87.7%, in unilateral, 12.2% in bilateral. 5) On the radioiodine scanning, the incidence of benign nodule with cold nodule was 83.9% and the incidence of benign nodule with hot nodule was 7.5%. The incidence of thyroid carcinoma with cold nodule was 88.3% and the incidence of thyroid carcinoma with hot nodule was 4.6%. 6) Most cases of benign nodules were treated with lobectomy 82.6%, subtotal thyroidectomy 10.1% and subtotal lobectomy 3.0%. Malignant nodules were treated with lobectomy and/or isthmusectomy 37.6%, total thyroidectomy 17.7%, subtotal thyroidectomy 15.4%, and any thyroidectomy and neck dissection 13.5%. 7) Postoperative complications were developed in 3.8% of benign nodules and 13.8% of malignant nodules.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.9-17
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• 1995

This study was retrospectively reviewed and analysis of postoperative local complication on all patient undergoing thyroid operation of 242 cases of thyroid disease, at Department of General Surgery, Chosun University Hospital from January 1988 to December 1992. The result were follow: Postoperative local complication are as follow; 52 cases of transient hypocalcemia, 7 cases of thansient hoarseness, 3 cases of permanent hypocalcemia, 2 cases of permanent hoarseness, and other local complication were postoperative bleeding with airway obstraction, hematoma, infection. In pathologic classification according to complicative patients; The most common frequency of complication in benign disease was Graves' disease with 13 cases(54.2%), and the most frequency of complication in malignance disease was follicalar adenocarcinoma with 7 cases(53.9%). The frequency of complication according to operation procedure were unilateral lobectomy in 31 cases(19.9%), subtotal thyroidectomy in 15 cases(39.5%), near total thyroidectomy in 12 cases (44.4%), and total thyroidectomy in 10 cases(55.6%). There was a significant relationship between extent of operative procedure and frequency of complication. The incidence of local complication after thyroid resection was 57 of 196(29.1%) in the benign disease that was 15 of 26(57.7 %) in the intrathyroidal carcinoma and 13 of 20(65.0%) in the extrathyroidal carcinoma. There was significant different in frequency of local complication according to invasion and malignance of pathologic lesion. The most frequent complication after thyroid resection is transient hypocalcemia ; 39 of 196(19.9%) in the benign disease, 7 of 26(26.9%) in the intrathyroida1 carcinoma, and 6 of 10(30.0%) in the extrathyroidal carcinoma. Their complication rate increased in direct relationship to the invasion and malignance of pathologic lesion, but there was no statistically significant. Transient hypocalcemia was encountered in 52 cases of the total 242 patient(21.9%) ; 29 of 156(18.6%) after unilateral lobectomy, 9 of 38(23.7%) after subtotal thyroidectomy, and 5 of 18(27.8 %) after total thyroidectomy. The relation ship between temporal hypocalcemia and the extent of surgery was not statistically significant.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.52-60
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• 1999

Objectives: For investigation of the differentiation between transient and permanent hypocalcemia, we focused on a postoperative calcium requirement and an interval of normalization in serum hypocalcemic level and studied for the causes of postoperative hypocalcemia. Material and Method: Postthyroidectomy hypocalcemia was studied in 193 patients who were admitted from January, 1991 to December, 1998 and underwent lobectomy, subtotal thyroidectomy or total thyroidectomy. We compared postoperative serum calcium, phosphate and ionized calcium levels among three groups which were lobectomy, subtotal thyroidectomy and total thyroidectomy, respectively. Result: All patients revealed postoperative decline in serum calcium and ionized calcium, especially, the lowest serum calcium level was seen in 48 hours after surgery. Serum calcium level was returned to normal in five to six postoperative days in most patients. But 24 patients required calcium supplementation due to symptomatic hypocalcemia. In this series, we discovered that the important period for monitoring of serum calcium level was 24 to 96 hours after surgery. If the calcium replacement therapy was not required in the first 72 hours after surgery, it would not be needed during the remainder of the patient's hospital course. Symptomatic transient hypocalcemia was 22 cases(11.4%) and permanent hypocalcemia was 2 cases(1%). Conclusion : We found that hypoalbuminemia, preoperative hyperthyroidism and impairment of blood supply to parathyroid were the main causes of postthyroidectomy hypocalcemia. We also thought that the interval from initial medication to normalization in serum calcium level, and the increase of requirement in calcium and vitamin D were the important factors for differentiation between transient and permanent hypocalcemia.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.171-174
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• 1988

Thyrotropin binding inhibitory immunoglobulin (TBII) and thyroid stimulating antibody (TSAb) activities were measured in the thyroidal and peripheral venous blood samples at the time of subtotal thyroidectomy from twenty one patients with Graves' disease prepared for surgery with antithyroid drugs. There was no difference in TBII and TSAb activities between thyroidal and peripheral blood samples. These findings were regarded that while intrathyroidal lymphocytes are major site of thyrotropin receptor antibody (TRAb) production, similar levels are found in thyroidal and peripheral veins and that this in vivo study cannot exactly ascertain the TRAb producing site.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.88-93
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• 1998

In order to review the clinicopathologic characteristics of the thyroid cancer associated with benign thyroid disease, we evaluated 47 patients treated between January, 1993 and September, 1997 at the Chonnam National University Hospital. In those period, we had operated a total of 690 thyroidectomy of which 320 were diagnosed as thyroid cancer. Forty three(91.4%)occurred in women and four(8.5%)occurred in men. The mean age at operation was 46.7years(range, 15 to 76 years). Forty three of the 47 cancers(91.4%) were papillary carcinomas while 4(8.5%)were follicular. Twenty four of the 47 patients (51%) were occult thyroid carcinomas measured less than 1 cm in diameter. The concurrent benign disease were nodular goiter(n=17), Hashimoto's thyroiditis(n=16), follicular adenoma(n=10), Graves' disease(n=2) and diffuse hyperplasia(n=2). Thirty one patients were diagnosed by preoperative FNAC and they underwent total thyroidectomy. Three were diagnosed by frozen section examination at the time of operation. Among them, one underwent total thyroidectomy and two underwent subtotal thyroidectomy. Eight cases revealed lymph node metastases and 2 cases extended to surrounding muscles. In conclusion, concurrent thyroid cancers and benign thyroid disease are not uncommon and a regular ultrasonic follow-up with selective aspiration cytologic examination is recommaned to enhance their diagnostic accuracy.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.50-55
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• 2002

Objectives: Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy with favorable histologic and prognostic characteristics. Total or near total thyroidectomy has been used as a standard surgical procedure. The aims of this study are to determine the extent of resection of thyroid gland and to find the influencing factors of lymph node metastasis. Materials and Methods: The authors reviewed the records of 194 patients of thyroid cancer surgically treated at Department of General Surgery, Inje University Busan Paik Hospital from January, 1996 to December, 2000. Pathologic classifications, surgical procedures, and lymph node metastasis were analyzed. Results: There were 163 women and 31 men. The age ranged from 12 to 79 years old (mean age 43.2 years). The histological classifications of 194 cases revealed papillary cancer in 171 cases (88.1%), follicular cancer in 17 cases (8.8%), undifferentiated cancer in 3 cases (1.6%), medullary cancer in 2 cases (1.0%) and mixed cancer in 1 case (0.5%). Among the 194 patients, lobectomy was perfomed in 31 patients, subtotal thyroidectomy in 30 patients, near total thyroidectomy in 82 patients and total thyroidectomy in 51 patients. In the subgroup of papillary carcinoma 141 cases with lymph node dissection, lymph node metastasis had no statistical significance according to sex, age and primary tumor size. Conclusions: The mainly performed surgical procedures were total thyroidectomy and near total thyroidectomy. In thyroid cancer surgery, the extent of resection was influenced by age, differentiation and primary tumor size. The lymph node dissection should be decided by lymph node metastasis identified by preoperative radiologic evaluation or intraoperative lymph node findings.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.183-191
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• 2006

Thyroid nodules are less common in children than in adults and their management is still controversial. The clinical presentations, operations, complications, histopathologic findings, and postoperative progressions of 34 pediatric patients that underwent thyroidectomy for palpable thyroid nodule at the Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Children Hospital between 1986 and 2003 were studied retrospectively by reviewing medical records and telephone interviews. The mean age of the patients was 11.8 years old. There were 23 females (67.6 %) and 11 males (32.4 %). Surgical indications were clinical need of histological confirmation (n=15), unresponsiveness to thyroxin replacement therapy (n=10), suggestion of the carcinoma on fine needle aspiration cytology (n=5), cosmetic purpose-a huge benign nodule (n=2), completion thyroidectomy for medullary thyroid carcinoma (n=1), and prophylactic thyroidectomy in a MENIIpatient (n=1). Unilateral Lobectomy was performed in 20 patients (57.1 %), subtotal thyroidectomy in 8 (22.9 %), total thyroidectomy in 5 (14.7 %), and completion thyroidectomy in 1 (2.9 %). Lymph node dissection was performed in 9 cases. Benign tumor was found in 23 patients (67.6 %), adenomatous goiter (n=18) and follicular adenoma (n=5). Malignant tumor was found in 11 children (32.4 %), 9 papillary carcinomas (26.5 %), and 2 medullary carcinomas (5.9 %). Of the 9 papillary carcinomas, 7 cases (77.8 %) had lymph node metastasis. No lymph node metastasis was found in 2 medullary carcinomas. Complications developed in 5 cases - transient hypocalcaemia (n=2), and temporary hoarseness (n=3). There was no mortality. Median follow-up period was 7.4 years (0.5-18 years). One patient showed recurrence in cervical lymph nodes 10 years after surgery and modified radical neck dissection was performed. Because of the high incidence of malignancy and advanced stage at initial presentation, more meticulous diagnostic work up is necessary for children with thyroid nodule, and more radical surgical treatment should be performed when malignant nodule is suggested.