Author(s)
Steven Cox1, Alexandra D'Oto1, Nic Beckmann1, Madhu Mamidala, PhD1, Francisco Vieira1, Anthony Sheyn1,2,
Affiliation(s)
1 University Of Tennessee Health Science Center, 2 Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, 3 St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Abstract:
Background Thyroidectomy is performed for a wide array of both benign and oncologic maladies. While outpatient total thyroidectomy is controversial in the adult population, there is literature that supports patients undergoing hemithyroidectomy can be safely discharged on the day of surgery. However, in the pediatric population, there is no clear consensus supporting outpatient thyroidectomy in this patient demographic. Our investigation analyzes thyroid surgery at two different high volume institutions in the pediatric population, evaluating outcomes that may support performing outpatient thyroid surgery. Methods Retrospective analysis of outcomes in pediatric patients (<18 years of age) who have undergone thyroid surgery at two academic tertiary centers. Results Preliminary data of 39 patients demonstrate 65 % of the study population are males. Ages range from 1 to 17 years old. 46% of patients underwent hemithyroidectomy, while 49% of patients underwent total thyroidectomy. On review of the pathologic reports, 19% of patients had malignant thyroid disease. Of patients in the hemithyroidectomy cohort, there were no complications following surgery and the average length of stay was 1.3 days. Conclusion Outpatient hemithyroidectomy is reported as an accepted strategy in the adult population. While further prospective investigations are necessary, preliminary results are encouraging and suggestive of the safety in performing outpatient hemithyroidectomy in the pediatric population.