부산대학교 도서관

Aim-Background:Obesity prevalence has increased all over the world and has become an epidemic disease. Studies in the literature show that obese patients who have undergone various surgical operations have an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. There are several studies on morbidity and mortality in parathyroid surgery. However, there is insufficient information concerning the thyroidectomy outcomes of obese patients. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of obesity in the postoperative stage and minimize the disadvantages that can be seen in obese patients undergoing total thyroidectomy.Materials and Methods:Ninety-nine patients who underwent total thyroidectomy between April and September 2012 were included in this study. Patients who were under/normal weight were grouped as Group 1, overweight as Group 2, obese as Group 3. The analyzed parameters include incision length, operation duration, specimen weight, postoperative pain, postoperative early complications, amount of postoperative drainage, and duration of postoperative hospital stay.Results:The average age of the patients was 50.4 years. Seventy-one patients were women and 28 were men. No differences were noticed among the groups in terms of age, gender, sternomental length, operation duration, pain score, amount of postoperative drainage, postoperative hospital stay, vocal cord paralysis, hypocalcaemia, bleeding that required re-operation, specimen weight, and incision length. No relation between operation duration and specimen weight was observed. The relation between specimen weight and incision length was evaluated and a meaningful but weak correlation was observed. No wound infection was seen.Conclusion:Total thyroidectomy can be performed safely even in obese patients.