The effect of primary thyroid surgery on the morbidity of reoperative thyroid surgery.

Patients and Methods: Fifty-seven patients (14 male, 43 female; mean age 41 years; range 21 to 70 years), who underwent reoperative thyroid surgery in our clinic between January 2007 and January 2012 were retrospectively analyzed in terms of vocal cord paralysis, temporary or permanent hypoparathyroidism, and other complications. The patients were classified into two groups. The first group consisted of 42 completion thyroidectomy patients that had undergone the primary operation of unilateral total lobectomy + isthmusectomy in our clinic, whereas the second group consisted of 15 patients that had undergone bilateral subtotal or near total thyroidectomy in another center. Complication rates were compared between the groups.