Retrospective Analysis of Thyroidectomy Cases That Became Subjects Due to Unintended Consequences

Abstract

Objective: The aim of to this study was determine the risk area of surgical interventions of the thyroid that became subjects, and to provide feedback about the data of the cases mainly to general surgeons and all health care providers. Material and Methods: Legal expert reports written by the Third Specialized Board of Council of Forensic Medicine between 2006-2009 about cases that developed unintended consequences due to thyroid surgery were analyzed retrospectively. Data were assessed with SPSS 13.0 package program. Results: Of a total of 28 cases, 23 (82.2%) were females and 5 (17.8%) were males. Mean age was 41.3 years. Of the cases, 13 (46.5%) were operated on for multinodular goitre (MNG), 3 (10.7%) for toxic multinodular goitre (MNG), 2 (7.1%) for nodular goitre, 2 (7.1%) for Basedow-Graves, 2 (7.1%) for chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, 2 (7.1%) for recurrent goitre, 1(3.6%) for papillary carcinoma, 1(3.6%) for anaplastic carcinoma, 1 (3.6%) for follicular adenoma and 1 (3.6%) for a reason not stated in the file. Twenty-one (75.0%) cases underwent subtotal thyroidectomy and 7 (25.0%) cases total thyroidectomy. Unintended consequences were hypoparathyroidism in 10 cases, unilateral vocal chord paralysis in 7 cases, bilateral vocal chord paralysis in 5 cases, hematoma in 3 cases, and hematoma + bilateral vocal chord paralysis, bleeding from the margin of tracheostomy cannula, esophagus injury in one case for each. According to legal expert decisions, in 21 cases, tretament was consistent with medical rules, medical practice faults were found in 6 cases and it in one case, no opinion could be given in terms of medical practice. Conclusion: Discussing thyroidectomy cases whom undesired consequences developed in scientific platforms may be useful to decrease the risk.