Evaluating risk factors for re-exploration due to postoperative neck hematoma after thyroid surgery: a nested case-control study

Reoperation for hematoma in patients on perioperative antithrombotic drugs underwent thyroidectomy

BACKGROUNDS

Evaluate the risk of reoperation for postoperative hematoma (POH) in patients on antithrombotic conditions underwent thyroidectomy.

METHODS

Three groups: Groups 1, 2, and 3 included thyroidectomy without treatment, under antiplatelet and anticoagulation drugs, respectively. Occurrence of POH identified 2 groups: hematoma (Group A) and no hematoma (Group B).

RESULTS

The overall incidence of POH was 6 %(reoperation 0.1 %, conservative 5.9 %). 83 % of the reoperation for POH occurred within the first 24 h. Antiplatelet and anticoagulant drugs were associated with a 3.4 and 5.2 increased odds of POH respectively. Hyperthyroidism, substernal goiter, hypertension, and antithrombotic drugs were present in 32 % and 7 %, 33 % and 11 %, 52 % and 27 %, and 30 % and 9 % of patients in groups A and B respectively. Reoperation was necessary in 0.08 %, 0.23 %, and 1 % of patients in groups 1, 2, and 3 respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients underwent thyroidectomy under antithrombotic drugs are at much higher risk for reoperation for POH.

Complications of revision surgery in case of bleeding after thyroid surgery: A systematic review

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this review is to evaluate complications in patients undergoing surgical control of bleeding after thyroid surgery. Secondly, we have analyzed the rate of the main complications.

METHODS

The databases PubMed and EMBASE were searched for articles regarding complications after revision thyroid surgery for bleeding. A Systematic review methodology based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis was performed.

RESULTS

Nine studies met the inclusion criteria, six are retrospectives and three retrospectives controlled. The overall rate of bleeding after thyroid surgery was 1.38%. In these patients, the most common complication after revision surgery for bleeding is hypoparathyroidism 24.9% (95% CI: 20.7-29.5) followed by recurrent laryngeal nerve injury 8.1% (95% CI: 6.4-10.1) and wound infection 4.5% (95% CI: 2.5-7.6). Tracheostomy and other lethal complications are rarely described.

CONCLUSION

Although rare, complications after surgical control of bleeding in patients undergoing thyroid surgery can be serious. Therefore, in order to optimize the surgical outcomes, standardized protocol providing early detection and precise hemostasis procedure, is needed. Specific patient-informed consent for this condition should be created.

Prevention and management of post-thyroidectomy cervical haematoma. Recommendations of the AFCE (Association francophone de chirurgie endocrinienne) with the SFE (Société française d'endocrinologie) and the SFMN (Société française de médecine nucléaire)

Post-thyroidectomy cervical haematoma (PTCH) requiring reoperation occurs in fewer than 5% of patients but can be fatal or leave severe neurological sequelae if compressive. Risk factors besides anticoagulant treatments are discussed. Preoperative prevention complies with the recommendations of the French Society of Anaesthesia and Resuscitation (SFAR) for the management of antiaggregants and anticoagulants before and after the operation. Intraoperative prevention is centred on careful haemostasis, sometimes aided by coagulation tools and haemostatic agents, although there is no firm evidence of their effectiveness against the occurrence of PTCH. Systematic drainage of the thyroid cavity is no longer standard practice for the prevention of PTCH. Postoperatively, maintenance of normal blood pressure is essential to prevent PTCH, together with control of pain, coughing, nausea and vomiting. To reduce the risk of serious complications, medical and paramedical teams must be trained to recognise a haematoma and manage it so that it can be evacuated as a matter of extreme urgency, if necessary bedside, and then treated for its cause in the operating theatre.

SFE-AFCE-SFMN 2022 consensus on the management of thyroid nodules: Surgical treatment

The SFE-AFCE-SFMN 2022 consensus deals with the management of thyroid nodules, a condition that is a frequent reason for consultation in endocrinology. In more than 90% of cases, patients are euthyroid, with benign non-progressive nodules that do not warrant specific treatment. The clinician's objective is to detect malignant thyroid nodules at risk of recurrence and death, toxic nodules responsible for hyperthyroidism or compressive nodules warranting treatment. The diagnosis and treatment of thyroid nodules requires close collaboration between endocrinologists, nuclear medicine physicians and surgeons, but also involves other specialists. Therefore, this consensus statement was established jointly by 3 societies: the French Society of Endocrinology (SFE), French-speaking Association of Endocrine Surgery (AFCE) and French Society of Nuclear Medicine (SFMN); the various working groups included experts from other specialties (pathologists, radiologists, pediatricians, biologists, etc.). This section deals with the surgical management of thyroid nodules.

Feasibility and Safety of Ambulatory Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy via Vestibular Approach (TOETVA)

Background

In search of an ideal cosmesis, transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy via vestibular approach (TOETVA) has recently been introduced to avoid a visible scar. Although ambulatory thyroid surgery is considered safe in carefully selected patients, this remains unclear for TOETVA.

Methods

All consecutive adult patients who underwent ambulatory TOETVA or open thyroid surgery at a French university hospital were prospectively enrolled from 12/2020 until 11/2021. The primary outcome was postoperative morbidity (recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) palsy, re-intervention for bleeding, wound morbidity, or hospital readmission). The secondary outcome was quality of life (QoL), measured by a survey including a validated questionnaire (SF-12) and a modified thyroid surgery questionnaire six weeks after surgery.

Results

Throughout the study period, 374 patients underwent a unilateral lobectomy or isthmectomy in ambulatory setting, of which 34 (9%) as TOETVA (including 21 (62%) for a possible malignancy). In the TOETVA group, younger age (median 40 (IQR 35–50) vs. 51 (40–60) years, P < 0.001) and lower BMI (median 23.1 (20.9–25.4) vs. 24.9 (22.1–28.9) kg/m², P = 0.001) were noted. No cases were converted to open cervicotomy. TOETVA was at least as good as open cervicotomy with nil versus four (1%) re-interventions for bleeding, one temporary (5%) versus 13 (4%) (temporary) RLN palsies, and one (<1%) wound infection (open cervicotomy group). No hospital readmissions occurred in all ambulatory surgery patients. No differences were found in physical (P = 0.280) and mental (P = 0.569) QoL between TOETVA and open surgery.

Conclusions

In carefully selected patients, the feasibility and safety of ambulatory TOETVA are comparable to open surgery.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00268-022-06666-y.

Heavier Weight of Resected Thyroid Specimen Is Associated With Higher Postoperative Morbidity in Benign Goiter

OBJECTIVE

The impact of heavier weight of resected thyroid specimen on postoperative morbidity after total thyroidectomy for multinodular benign goiter remains unclear.

METHODS

Data from the prospective StuDoQ|Thyroid registry of the German Society of General and Visceral Surgery were analyzed regarding the weight of the resected thyroid specimen and perioperative morbidity (vocal cord palsy, hemorrhage, surgical site infection, and hypocalcemia). To achieve a homogeneous patient population, only patients with total thyroidectomy for multinodular benign goiter were included.

RESULTS

A total of 7911 patients from 105 departments underwent total thyroidectomy for benign conditions (January 2017-July 2020). The median resected weight of the thyroid specimen in all patients was 53 g (interquartile range 32-92). In 1732 patients, the specimen weight exceeded 100 g. Intraoperative neuromonitoring was used in 99.5% of patients. Postoperative laryngoscopy revealed vocal cord dysfunction in 480 of 15 822 (3.03%) nerves at risk, with unilateral dysfunction in 454 (2.87%) of patients and bilateral dysfunction in 13 patients (0.08%). In multivariable analysis, a thyroid weight >100 g was an independent predictor of early postoperative vocal cord dysfunction [odds ratio (OR) 1.462, 95% CI 1.108-1.930, P = 0.007). Heavier (>100 g) thyroid weight was an independent predictor of surgical site infection (OR 1.861, 95% CI 1.203-2.880, P = 0.005) and also predicted postoperative hemorrhage in the univariate analysis (OR 1.723, 95% CI 1.027-2.889, P = 0.039). On the contrary, postoperative parathyroid function was not affected.

CONCLUSIONS

Heavier (>100 g) resected thyroid weight independently predicts higher postoperative morbidity, including early vocal cord palsy and surgical site infection after total thyroidectomy for benign multinodular goiter.

Risk factors for bleeding after dental extractions in patients receiving antithrombotic drugs - A case control study

Background/purpose

Patients receiving antithrombotic drugs are more likely to suffer bleeding after tooth extraction and multiple factors are related to it. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of bleeding and risk factors for bleeding after dental extractions in patients receiving antithrombotic drugs.

Materials and methods

This retrospective case control study included patients receiving oral antithrombotic drugs or not. Tooth extractions were conducted under ECG monitoring and local hemostatic measures were performed. Risk factors for postoperative hemorrhage after tooth extraction were evaluated using univariate and multivariate analyses.

Results

Bleeding events were reported in 27 (27%) patients receiving antithrombotic drugs and 9 (9%) patients who didn't use antithrombotic drugs, the difference between which was significant (p < 0.01). Univariate analyses showed that age (OR = 2.717, p = 0.028), oral hygiene (OR = 4.110, p = 0.043), inferior nerve block (OR = 4.285, p = 0.038) and number of extracted tooth (OR = 4.758, p = 0.029) were significantly correlate with bleeding incidence. Multivariate analysis revealed that age (OR = 2.824, p = 0.036) and number of extracted tooth (OR = 5.268, p = 0.016) were significant risk factors for postextraction bleeding.

Conclusion

The results suggest that there is higher incidence of postextraction bleeding in patients receiving antithrombotic drugs compared to patients who don't. Age (>75 years), oral hygiene, inferior nerve block and number of extracted tooth may be related to bleeding after tooth extraction.

Complications after medullary thyroid carcinoma surgery: multicentre study of the SQRTPA and EUROCRINE® databases

BACKGROUND

Surgery is the curative therapy for patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). In determining the extent of surgery, the risk of complications should be considered. The aim of this study was to assess procedure-specific outcomes and risk factors for complications after surgery for MTC.

METHODS

Patients who underwent thyroid surgery for MTC were identified in two European prospective quality databases. Hypoparathyroidism was defined by treatment with calcium/active vitamin D. Recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) palsy was diagnosed on laryngoscopy. Complications were considered at least transient if present at last follow-up. Risk factors for at-least transient hypoparathyroidism and RLN palsy were identified by logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 650 patients underwent surgery in 69 centres at a median age of 56 years. Hypoparathyroidism, RLN palsy and bleeding requiring reoperation occurred in 170 (26·2 per cent), 62 (13·7 per cent) and 17 (2·6 per cent) respectively. Factors associated with hypoparathyroidism were central lymph node dissection (CLND) (odds ratio (OR) 2·20, 95 per cent c.i. 1·04 to 4·67), CLND plus unilateral lateral lymph node dissection (LLND) (OR 2·78, 1·20 to 6·43), CLND plus bilateral LLND (OR 2·83, 1·13 to 7·05) and four or more parathyroid glands observed (OR 4·18, 1·46 to 12·00). RLN palsy was associated with CLND plus LLND (OR 4·04, 1·12 to 14·58) and T4 tumours (OR 12·16, 4·46 to 33·18). After compartment-oriented lymph node dissection, N0 status was achieved in 248 of 537 patients (46·2 per cent).

CONCLUSION

Complications after surgery for MTC are procedure-specific and may relate to the unavoidable consequences of radical dissection needed in some patients.

Risk factors for postoperative morbidity after thyroid surgery in a PROSPECTIVE cohort of 1500 patients

BACKGROUND

Postoperative hypocalcaemia, recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy and postoperative bleeding are the most frequent postoperative complications after thyroid surgery, and therefore often used as quality indicators of thyroid surgery. We aimed to assess postoperative morbidity in a high-volume endocrine surgery unit, and to detect which factors are associated with higher risks.

METHODS

Prospective surgical cohort in a high-volume tertiary referral centre for endocrine surgery in xxx. The first 1500 patients operated with hemi or total thyroidectomy during 2010-2019 were included. Postoperative hypocalcaemia, recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy and postoperative bleeding were assessed in relation to pre- and peri-operative characteristics using multivariable logistic regression analyses, expressed as odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals.

RESULTS

Overall, 1043 patients (69.5%) received a total thyroidectomy and 457 (30.5%) a hemithyroidectomy. Permanent hypocalcaemia occurred in 3.1%, permanent recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy in 1.8% and surgical reintervention for bleeding in 2.6%. Younger age, female sex and cancer were risk factors for permanent hypocalcaemia. No clear risk factors could be identified for permanent nerve palsy. Female sex, high body mass index and heavier thyroids were protective against postoperative bleeding after total thyroidectomy.

CONCLUSIONS

Surgical experience in endocrine surgery seems beneficial for clinical outcomes and contributes to organizational efficiency. A low complication risk can be obtained by trained high-volume endocrine surgeons, yet the risk is not negligible.