Study of Safety of Short-stay Thyroid Surgery

Following surgical procedures, the duration of hospital stay has undergone a significant reduction in recent years. However, there are some risks associated with short-stay thyroid surgery. An analysis has been made of data from patients who underwent shortstay thyroid surgery, analyzing the complications associated with this procedure. Overall 70 consecutive patients undergoing thyroidectomy in 2009 and 2010 were prospectively analyzed. Post-operative care included routine ward overnight observation. The discharge criteria were: stable vital signs; apyretic; no wound or airway problems; tolerating diet; and established autonomy at discharge. Data were collected regarding patients’ discharge criteria status, length of hospital stay and readmission, as well as morbidity (post-operative haemorrhage, recurrent laryngeal nerve injury and hypocalcaemia) and mortality. This series comprised 30 total thyroidectomies, 38 hemi-thyroidectomies and 2 isthmusectomies. No cases of death or post-operative haemorrhage occurred in any of these patients. Permanent unilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve injury was observed in 1 patient (1.42%). Transient postoperative hypocalcaemia occurred in 6 patients, whereas permanent post-operative hypocalcaemia was observed in 2 patients (2.85%); 2 patients were re-admitted and required early calcium supplementation. Five patients failed to tolerate the diet during the immediate post-operative period. The average duration of hospital stay was 1.02 days. Considering the 2 patients who required re-admission due to hypocalcaemia, the total length of hospital stay was 1.05 days. In conclusion, the one-day surgery model is safe and effective in patients undergoing surgery for thyroid disorders. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jdnmch.v17i2.12201 J. Dhaka National Med. Coll. Hos. 2011; 17 (02): 13-17