A Clinical Analysis of Surgically Managed Thyroid Nodule

외과적으로 치료한 갑상선 결절에 대한 임상적 고찰

During 7 years, from Jan. 1986 to Dec. 1992, authors studied 208 cases of the surgically managed thyroid nodules at the Department of General Surgery, Han Kang Sacred Heart Hospital and obtained the following results. 1) Among the total 208 cases, male to female ratio was 1:11.2 in benign thyroid diseases and 1:9 in malignant thyroid diseases. The benign disease was prevalent between second and forth decade comparing with malignant disease between third and fifth decade. 2) The most common duration of illness was 3 months(26.0%). 3) Palpable neck mass was the most common chief complaint(100%). Palpitation. fatigue, and sweating were common complaints in patient with benign disease, and fatigue, palpitation, and sweating in malignant disease in decreasing order of frequency. 4) 55.8 % of lesions were in right lobe, 33.2% in left lobe, 5.8% in diffuse type, 4.8% in bilateral lobes, and 0.5% in isthmus. 5) The most common size of nodule was between 2.0cm and 3.9cm in diameter, which consisted of 55.1% of benign disease and 48.0% of malignant disease. 6) 86.5% of thyroid function test showed euthyroidism, 10.1% hyperthyroidism, and 3.4% hypothyroidism. 7) Thyroid scanning of 176 patients revealed cold nodules in 92.5% of benign diseases and in 92.9% of malignant diseases. 8) The most common benign disease was adenomatous hyperplasia(62.7%), and the most common malignant disease was papillary adenocarcinoma(80.0%). 9) Fine needle aspiration cytology was performed in 91 cases, and it showed 69.0% of sensitivity, 90.3% of specificity, and 83.5% of accuracy. 10) Frozen biopsy was performed in 109 cases. and it showed 93.9% of sensitivity, 100.0% of specificity, and 98.2% of accuracy. 11) The most commonly performed operation was unilateral lobectomy(including unilateral lobectomy with isthmectomy)(79.1%) in benign disease. and total thyroidectomy(62.0%) in malignant disease. 12) Postoperative complication showed 5 cases of wound infection (2.4%), 3 cases of transient hypoparathyroidism(1.4%), 3 cases of transient hoarseness(1.4%), 2 cases of postoperative bleeding(1.0%), 1 case of permanent hypoparathyroidism(0.5%), 1 case of permanent hoarseness(0.5%), and 1 case of postoperative pneumonia (0.5%).