Medical Aspects of Thyroid Surgery

Abstract

The internist has a dual role in thyroid surgery. (1) In diagnosis, a distinction must be made between surgical and medical disorders. Adequate physical examination and knowledge of laboratory diagnostic procedures are essential. (2) Preoperatively the patient must be rendered euthyroid and treated for any complication or nonthyroid disease. Postoperatively the problems are similar except that hypoparathyroidism and vocal cord damage may be added to the list.