Trial of thyroid autotransplantation in patients with Graves' disease whose remnant thyroid has unintentionally been made too small at subtotal thyroidectomy.

Autotransplantation of thyroid tissue was carried out in 5 patients withGraves' disease in order to prevent postoperative hypothyroidism, because theamount of remnant thyroid tissue was estimated to be too small, i.e. from 3to 5g. Approximately 0.5 to 2g of thyroid tissue was cut into small piecesand transplanted into the sternocleidomastoid muscles or the strap muscles. Although the postoperative serum TSH levels were normal or slightly elevated, the serum concentrations of triiodothyronine were within the normal range inthese 5 patients at a follow-up study carried out 2 to 7 years after surgery. Thyroid scanning with I-123 or 99mTc-pertechnetate (Tc-99m) revealed radioisotopeuptake at the sites of transplantation in 4 of the 5 patients. Thesefindings verify that the implanted thyroid tissues were alive and fUnctioningand that autotransplantation may be a way of preventing postoperative hypothyroidismin patients whose remnant thyroid tissue has unintentionally become too small.