Outpatient hemithyroidectomy: A retrospective feasibility analysis

Abstract Background Outpatient surgery is a major public health policy issue. It is controversial for total thyroidectomy, which raises the question of hemithyroidectomy. The present study assessed our experience in outpatient hemithyroidectomy. Objectives To evaluate the rates of postoperative hematoma and unscheduled hospital admission. Material and methods A multicenter retrospective analysis was conducted in two hospital centers between January 2009 and December 2013. Exclusion criteria for outpatient hemithyroidectomy comprised: ASA score >2, anticoagulant therapy, risk of completion procedure, and associated procedure requiring >12 hours’ surveillance. Data were collated for age, gender, weight, postoperative complications, and unscheduled hospital admission. Results During the study period, 294 hemithyroidectomies were performed, 130 of which on an outpatient basis (44%). There were no medical contraindications to outpatient surgery in 64% of patients operated on under conventional admission. In the outpatient group, mean age was 44 years. Eight completion thyroidectomies were performed in the outpatient group, and only two patients required admission for surveillance, with no revision surgeries. All patients were satisfied or very satisfied with outpatient management. Conclusion In our experience, outpatient hemithyroidectomy was safe and reliable.