Assessing the safety of day care thyroidectomy in Indian population: A prospective study

Abstract

In the era of improved surgical and anesthetic techniques, the day care thyroidectomies have been found to be associated with improved patient performance and convenience, and reduced exposure to hospital-acquired complications leading to reduced overall morbidity. However, these benefits are still questioned due to certain postoperative complications. Aim: The aim of this study was to observe the follow-up of patients undergoing day care thyroidectomy operations and determine the safety of day care thyroidectomy in Indian population. Materials and methods: This was a single center, in-hospital, prospective, uncontrolled observational study. A total number of 50 patients were included in the study. The study was conducted in the Department of Surgical Disciplines, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, with the duration from January 2016 to September 2017. After assessing the inclusion and exclusion criteria, proper workup and taking informed written consent, patients were taken up for day care thyroidectomy. These patients were observed and followed up on day 0, day 7, and day 30 postoperatively for any thyroidectomy-related complications. Results: The mean age for the study population was 35.6 ± 11.27 years (18–60 years). Out of 50, 35 (70%) were females and the female-to-male ratio was 2.25:1. Out of 50 (2%), 1 patient had a postoperative hematoma formation, 2/50 (4%) patients had postoperative transient hypocalcaemia, and 1/50 (2%) patient had postoperative voice changes. Conclusion: This study showed that day care thyroidectomy is a safe and feasible approach with a supporting caregiver and accessible emergency services. Clinical significance: In a developing country like India with limited resources, day care thyroidectomy can provide a safe and better cost-effective alternative to the routinely practiced in-patient thyroidectomy.