May predictors of difficulty in thyroid surgery increase the incidence of complications? Prospective study with the proposal of a preoperative score
Background: Although thyroidectomyisoneofthemostcommonsurgicalproceduresperformedworldwide,
some permanentcomplications,despitetheconsiderablyreducingincidence,mayaffectdramaticallythepatients
quality oflife.Thepurposeofthisstudyistoevaluatewhetherfactorsidentifiedpreoperativelyandexpressedina
score couldbepredictorsofmajorsurgicaldifficultyduringtotalthyroidectomyandinfluencetheincidenceof
complications.
Methods: A totalof164patientswhounderwenttotalthyroidectomywereexamined.Foreachpatientwe