We evaluated the efficacy of two doses of I-131 (2220 MBq versus 3700 MBq) after thyroid hormone withdrawal for thyroid remnant ablation postoperatively in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). A total of 133 patients with DTC were studied retrospectively. Group 1 (N.=48) included patients with a primary tumor less ...

Despite their safety and effectiveness in thyroid surgery, the previous harmonic scalpel instruments are considered large and cumbersome by several surgeons. An innovative technical improvement of the device has been made available since 2008. The objective of this study was to compare the results of total thyroidectomy using the new ...

Temporary hypocalcemia is a frequent complication after total thyroidectomy. Routine postoperative administration of vitamin D and calcium can reduce the incidence of symptomatic postoperative hypocalcemia. We undertook a systematic review to assess the effectiveness of this intervention. We identified randomized controlled trials comparing the administration of vitamin D or metabolites ...

A major problem with antithyroid drug (ATD) therapy in Graves' disease is the high relapse rate. Therefore, clinicians have sought prognostic indicators of permanent remission. Suppression of serum thyrotropin (TSH) when ATD therapy is stopped carries a poor prognosis, but little is known regarding the significance of elevated serum TSH ...

Introduction: A group of differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) patients receiving post thyroidectomy rhTSH-aided radioiodine treatment (group I) was compared with patients treated with (131)I following endogenous stimulation of TSH (group II) after L-thyroxine withdrawal. Material and methods: Group I consisted of 66 patients of mean age 51.7 ± 16.2 years ...

A 24- to 48-hour in-hospital observation period to monitor for hypocalcemia is common after total thyroidectomy. Because most thyroidectomy patients do not experience this potentially serious complication, investigators have searched for methods and clinical indicators that may help stratify thyroidectomy patients according to their risk of developing hypocalcemia and identify ...

The affect of the surgical approach for primary hyperparathyroidism (1HPT) on long-term symptom relief has not been studied. This study compares the long-term relief of symptoms assessed by the Parathyroidectomy Assessment of Symptoms (PAS) score in patients undergoing bilateral neck exploration (BNE) and minimally invasive parathyroidectomy (MIP). In this case-control ...

BACKGROUND: Hypercalcemic crisis is a serious and potentially life-threatening complication of markedly increased serum calcium concentrations most commonly due to severe primary sporadic hyperparathyroidism (HPT). METHODS: A review of 1,310 consecutive patients with severe sporadic HPT who underwent parathyroidectomy at a single institution from April 1970 through July 2009 was ...

BACKGROUND: Symptomatic hypocalcemia, the most common complication of total thyroidectomy, can lead to postoperative emergency room visits for laboratory testing and intravenous calcium infusion. A method to identify patients reliably at risk for postoperative hypocalcemia could allow prophylactic treatment to avoid this. We hypothesized that quick parathyroid hormone testing within 4 ...

The nematode Spirocerca lupi is a major canine parasite in warm regions of the world, classically causing parasitic nodules in the esophagus, aortic aneurysms, and spondylitis. This study evaluated the preventive efficacy of monthly treatment with imidacloprid 10%/moxidectin 2.5% spot-on (Advocate® for dogs) administered over a period of 9 months ...

To evaluate the feasibility of using recombinant human TSH (rhTSH) in conjunction with ¹³¹I to treat patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Between July 2003 and April 2009, 14 patients [mean age, 39.1 years (range 14-71 years)], of whom seven were treated for remnant ablation and seven for irresectable or metastatic ...

Aims: To evaluate the role of the quantitative vascularization index (VI) as a measure of the completeness of percutaneous ethanol injection therapy (PEIT). Methods: A total of 37 dialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism refractory to medical therapy received PEIT. We analyzed the role of a quantitative marker of parathyroid adenoma ...

The aim of this study is to investigate the predictive value of intraoperative parathormone measurement addressing successful surgical resection in patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism. The study included 42 consecutive patients operated on between May 2006 and July 2008. Patients were grouped according to successful surgery (Group 1, n = 36) ...

Chronic autoimmune thyroiditis (CAT) remains the most common cause of acquired hypothyroidism. There is currently no therapy that is capable of regenerating CAT-damaged thyroid tissue. The objective of this study was to gauge the value of applying low-level laser therapy (LLLT) in CAT patients based on both ultrasound studies (USs) ...

To evaluate the accuracy of measurement of different parathyroid hormone (PTH) and corrected calcium (cCa) levels at different times as early predictors of postthyroidectomy hypocalcemia. A retrospective cohort study. King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between January 2006 and March 2009. Patients who underwent total or completion thyroidectomy were ...

Meticulous dissection and accurate hemostasis are required in thyroid surgery. The authors recently performed a number of thyroidectomies using a new device that combines heat and pressure for sealing and cutting tissue. A prospective randomized trial was conducted on 98 patients subjected to total thyroidectomy for benign disease: 49 patients ...

Parathyroidectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is followed by a decrease in the severity of symptoms reported on the Pasieka's parathyroid symptoms score (PPSS) and SF-36 questionnaires. Some argue that such benefits are short-lived. This study investigates the severity of symptoms at more than 12 months after parathyroidectomy. A prospective database ...

TSH suppression therapy has been used to decrease thyroid cancer recurrence. However, validation of effects through studies providing a high level of evidence has been lacking. This single-center, open-label, randomized controlled trial tested the hypothesis that disease-free survival (DFS) for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) in patients without TSH suppression is ...

Most papillary thyroid microcarcinomas (PTMCs; ≤ 1 cm diameter) are indolent low-risk tumors, but some cases behave more aggressively. Controversies have thus arisen over the optimum postoperative surveillance of PTMC patients. We tested the hypothesis that clinical criteria could be used to identify PTMC patients with very low mortality/recurrence risks ...

We aimed to compare the prevalence of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) and its subgroups between on-treatment (with anti-thyroid drugs; propylthiouracil, methimazole) and untreated patients with hyperthyroidism in our unit. Overall 78 consecutive patients were enrolled in the study; 45 patients were on-treatment (female/male 31:14) and 33 were newly diagnosed (female/male ...

The effectiveness of prophylactic central neck dissection (pCND) in the treatment of patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) to prevent local recurrence is controversial. We performed a meta-analysis to assess the effect of pCND on local recurrence in PTC. Exhaustive search of online search engines identified five retrospective studies that ...

Although ethanol ablation (EA) is effective, refractory cases have been reported in 5-25% of patients, with a marked decline in efficacy on subsequent reattempt. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) after EA of benign thyroid nodules in patients with incompletely resolved initial ...

Intraoperative parathyroid hormone (IOPTH) is commonly used during minimally invasive parathyroidectomy. Retrospective evidence suggested that hemolysis may artificially lower IOPTH results. Falsely decreased IOPTH measurements could result in either failed parathyroidectomy or unnecessary bilateral neck exploration. A total of 130 IOPTH specimens from 30 patients were assayed before and after ...

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Stimulation with recombinant human TSH (rhTSH) before radioiodine (131I) therapy augments goiter volume reduction (GVR). Observations indicate that rhTSH has a preconditioning effect beyond increasing thyroid (131)I uptake. We test the hypothesis that an equivalent GVR might be obtained by an absorbed thyroid dose well below what ...

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of recurrent nodular goiter in the contralateral thyroid lobe among patients after unilateral thyroid lobectomy for unilateral multinodular goiter (MNG) receiving versus not receiving postoperative prophylactic levothyroxine (LT4) treatment. METHODS: From January 2000 through December 2003, 150 consenting patients ...

BACKGROUND: The extent of thyroid resection in multinodular nontoxic goiter (MNG) is controversial. The aim of the present study was to evaluate results of various thyroid resection modes, with special emphasis put on the recurrence rate and morbidity rate, in a 5-year follow-up. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 01/2000 through 12/2003, ...

There are no common guidelines to identify the population at risk to develop hypocalcemia preoperatively or early in the postoperative course in thyroidectomized patients, therefore the authors suggest to examine the PTH value preoperatively. We divided 391 patients in two groups according to the preoperative PTH level (normal, ≤ 72 ...

BACKGROUND: Although the role of prophylactic central neck lymph node dissection (CNLD) in the treatment of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is controversial, many surgeons perform routine prophylactic CNLD. The present study compares local recurrence rates in PTC patients undergoing total thyroidectomy with and without prophylactic CNLD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A ...

BACKGROUND: Conventional techniques for hemostasis during thyroidectomy rely on knot tying, clips, and electrocoagulation. Recently, the Harmonic FOCUS Shear (Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc, Cincinnati, OH) was developed for thyroidectomy. METHODS: Between December 2007 and March 2008, 62 consecutive patients (45 women, 17 men; mean age 50.9 years) undergoing thyroidectomy were randomized ...

(131)I therapy is recognized as the simplest, safest, least expensive, and most effective treatment, and accepted by more and more patients. However its curative effect is influenced by many factors, therefore there are some difficulties for doctors to establish individual treatment strategy. The aims of this study were to determine ...

BACKGROUND: Concurrent vitamin D(3) deficiency is common in primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT). We aimed to examine the clinicopathologic features and short-term outcomes of vitamin D(3)-deficient patients after minimally invasive parathyroidectomy (MIP). METHODS: Over 2-year period, 80 consecutive MIP patients had preoperative-fasting 25-hydroxyvitamin D(3) (25OHD(3)) checked. Forty-five patients had a 25OHD(3) level ...

BACKGROUND: Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) may arise de novo or from a preexistent differentiated carcinoma. It is well known that higher iodine intake in the diet causes higher frequency of papillary thyroid carcinoma, but decreases the frequency of follicular thyroid carcinoma. However, it is not known how the change in ...

BACKGROUND: In the United States, Graves' disease is most commonly treated with radioiodine, yet thyroidectomy remains an important option for correcting hyperthyroidism. In many countries, limited access to thyroid hormone makes subtotal thyroidectomy the procedure of choice. In the United States, where levothyroxine is widely available, we hypothesized that total ...

We reviewed our experience of video-assisted thoracoscopic thymectomy for myasthenia gravis and thymomas in 119 patients, aged 12-83 years, who were treated between 1998 and 2007. Disease severity was graded using the Osserman classification. To prevent rupture of the tumor capsule and tumor seeding, thymomas were resected using a modified ...

OBJECTIVE: To compare the postoperative complications between patients who underwent total thyroidectomy (TT) with central compartment lymph node dissection (CLND) and those who underwent only TT. DESIGN: Retrospective medical chart review. SETTING: Academic tertiary center. PATIENTS: The CLND group consisted of 122 patients with a preoperative or an intraoperative diagnosis ...

BACKGROUND: Elevation of parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels is commonly seen in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) who have undergone parathyroidectomy. This study evaluates differences in 2-week postoperative PTH levels in patients having focused-approach surgery versus four-gland exploration. METHODS: Over 6 years, patients at Rhode Island Hospital (RIH) and the Cleveland ...

AIM: We evaluated the efficacy of two doses of I-131 (2220 MBq versus 3700 MBq) after thyroid hormone withdrawal for thyroid remnant ablation postoperatively in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). METHODS: A total of 133 patients with DTC were studied retrospectively. Group 1 (N.=48) included patients with a primary ...

Robotic thyroidectomy using a gasless transaxillary approach, first described in 2008, has become popular. This study compared outcomes, including postoperative distress and patient satisfaction, for patients undergoing robotic thyroidectomy with those for patients treated by conventional open thyroidectomy. Of 84 prospectively enrolled patients, 41 underwent robotic thyroidectomy (the robot group), ...

BACKGROUND: The role of routine prophylactic central-neck lymph node dissection (CLND) for papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) remains controversial. We perform CLND for PTC only in patients with enlarged nodes as determined by preoperative ultrasound and intraoperative inspection and palpation. METHODS: We identified all patients with PTC who underwent CLND during ...

BACKGROUND: The goal of the present study was to investigate the course of ionized calcium after thyroidectomy and to define a cut-off value that indicates symptoms of hypocalcemia. METHODS: The sample included 333 patients undergoing thyroidectomy at the University Hospital of UFMG between September 2000 and December 2005. Ionized calcium ...

OBJECTIVE: We tested the hypothesis that parathyroidectomy would improve functional/physical capacity, an underlying determinant of the ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL), in older patients with asymptomatic primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: PHPT patients often present with nonspecific, subjective symptoms including proximal muscle weakness, fatigue, and ...

Ultrasonography is useful for assessing the morphology of the thyroid gland in hyperthyroid cats. Our aim was to describe the ultrasonographic changes of the thyroid gland in hyperthyroid cats after 131I therapy. Ultrasonography was performed in 15 hyperthyroid cats at initial presentation and 6 months after 131I using a multifrequency ...

Patients with concomitant thyroid pathology are usually excluded from minimally invasive radioguided parathyroidectomy (MIRP). We assessed the value in these patients of the gamma probe, alone or in combination with other techniques, in MIRP and unilateral or bilateral approaches. We evaluated its performance in association with intraoperative determination of intact ...

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of plasmapheresis on sleep in patients with generalized myasthenia gravis and no respiratory symptoms. Seven myasthenia gravis patients, four women and three men, aged 24-52 years, underwent plasmapheresis treatment because of recent worsening of clinical weakness and poor response to ...

To investigate the role of radioactive iodine (RAI) in the onset and progression of thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO). Forty-six Graves' disease patients with mild or no ophthalmopathy were prospectively treated with carbimazole (CBZ) (n = 22) or RAI (n = 24). Treatment effects were evaluated clinically over 12 months, and with ...

BACKGROUND: Mininvasive surgical techniques have been proposed to treat the patients affected by parathyroid adenoma starting by endoscopically-assisted parathyroidectomy up to video-assisted and radio-guided approaches. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Our technique, minimally invasive video-assisted parathyroidectomy (MIVAP), in accord with Miccoli's technique, has been introduced in our center since 2006 after extensive ...

Cinacalcet efficacy is limited in severe secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) and its effect on parathyroid gland (PTG) volume and morphology have not been sufficiently investigated. We evaluated the effect of cinacalcet treatment for one year on the laboratory parameters of calcium-phosphorus metabolism and PTG ultrasound (US) patterns in hemodialysis (HD) patients ...

BACKGROUND: Hypocalcemia following thyroid and parathyroid surgery is a well-recognized potential complication. OBJECTIVES: To determine the utility of intraoperative quick parathormone assay in predicting severe hypocalcemia development following parathyroidectomy for a single-gland adenoma causing primary hyperparathyroidism. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was performed. IO-QPTH values were measured at time 0 ...

INTRODUCTION: Neonatal severe hyperparathyroidism (NSHPT) is a rare disease that presents early with severe hypercalcemia. We reviewed our experience with NSHPT management at a tertiary-care institution. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted for patients managed for NSHPT over the last 10 years. Demographic, clinical, and follow-up data were collected, ...

BACKGROUND Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN 2) is caused by a RET mutation in chromosome 10. All MEN 2 patients develop medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). The age-related risk of MTC is associated with the type of RET mutation. Our aim was to identify prognostic factors associated with recurrent MTC ...