BACKGROUND: In recent years, many surgeons dealing with endocrine surgery have increasingly performed total thyroidectomy for @entity1374 . However, total excision of the thyroid in the treatment of benign lesions has been surrounded by even more controversy than its role in @entity5 treatment. The complication rate appears to be higher when the operation is done by inexperienced surgeons who have no special skills in endocrine surgery using proper techniques. The aim of this study is to determine whether surgeons experience and the refinement of surgical techniques are associated with postoperative recurrent @entity3746 or @entity3747 after total thyroidectomy for @entity1374 . METHODS: A total of 68 consecutive @entity1 who underwent total thyroidectomy for @entity1374 were reviewed. Twenty-six of these were from between January 1998 and June 1999 (first period) and 42 from between June 1999 and September 2000 (second period). @entity1 were divided into two subgroups according to different periods and different surgical techniques to identify the RLNs and the parathyroid glands. RLNs function was evaluated pre- and postoperatively by an otolaryngologist, and serum @entity460 levels were measured at the postoperative follow-up. RESULTS: During the first period of the study, transient hypocalcaemia was determined in 8 (31%) @entity1 . Hypocalcaemia was clinically symptomatic in 5 (19%) @entity1 . Transient @entity11923 palsy developed in 4 (15%) @entity1 . Unilateral permanent @entity11923 palsy due to operative injury was observed in 1 (4%) @entity1 . During the second period, we noted transient @entity3747 in 11 (26%) @entity1 and symptomatic @entity3747 in 6 (4%) patients. Serum @entity460 levels returned to normal within 4 weeks after operation in all @entity1 . Neither transient nor permanent @entity11923 palsy was observed during this period. CONCLUSIONS: Complications of total thyroidectomy can be minimized with increasing experience and the refinement of surgical technique.

Influence of the refinement of surgical technique and surgeon's experience on the rate of complications after total thyroidectomy for XXXX .

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['Patients', 'patients', 'patient'] @entity3747 :: ('MESH:D006996', 'Disease') :: ['hypocalcemia'] @entity5 :: ('MESH:D009369', 'Disease') :: ['cancer'] @entity11923 :: ('MESH:D061226', 'Disease') :: ['RLN'] @entity460 :: ('MESH:D002118', 'Chemical') :: ['calcium'] @entity3746 :: ('MESH:D014826', 'Disease') :: ['laryngeal nerve (RLN) palsy'] @entity1374 :: ('MESH:D013959', 'Disease') :: ['benign thyroid disease']
@entity1374 :: (MESH:D013959,Disease) :: ['benign thyroid disease']
