Department of Urology, Başkent University School of Medicine, Alanya Practice and Research Center, Antalya, Turkey

Background The only effective treatment for hyperthyroidism is thyroidectomy. This study aims to determine how frequently patients with hyperthyroidism are referred for thyroidectomy and what the typical referral factors are. Resources and techniques We located 864 people who had been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. From January 2011 to December 2016, 237 patients got thyroidectomies in total. According to the year of the thyroidectomy, patients were separated into six groups, numbered from group 1 to group 6, from 2011 to 2016, respectively. Primary and secondary outcomes included the indications for thyroidectomy, the interval between diagnosis and/or the initiation of antithyroid medications (ATDs) and thyroidectomy, the pattern, and the overall number of thyroidectomies performed by each surgeon during the study period. Results There were 73% women, 54% African Americans, with a mean age of 44 15 years. Thirty-one individuals received thyroidectomy in 2011, compared to 61 patients in 2016, showing a substantial rise in the thyroidectomy rate during the research period. Resistance or intolerance to ATDs, patient preference, and the presence of obstructive symptoms were the most frequent causes of patient referrals for thyroidectomy, with no statistically significant difference between groups. With no discernible difference between groups, the median period from diagnosis to surgery was 8 mo (0–204 mo) and 7 mo from the start of ATDs to thyroidectomy. Conclusions Over the past 6 years, our institution has noticed a rise in the occurrence of thyroidectomies. Patients were primarily referred because of obstructive symptoms, resistance to or intolerance to antithyroid medicines, and patients' choice for surgery.

Hyperthyroidism, Thyroidectomy, Antithyroid drugs, Radioactive iodine

Ahmet Erhan. Thyroidectomy is increasingly used as the sole treatment for hyperthyroidism. Insights Journal of Surgery and Clinical Case Reports 2021.