Ambulatory Thyroid Surgery: Is This the Way of the Future?

Abstract

Outpatient thyroidectomy is feasible and safe for the majority of thyroid operations while providing similar health-care cost savings to society as other outpatient operations. It seems reasonable to anticipate increasing utilization of outpatient thyroidectomy by experienced thyroid surgeons in the future. Ultimately, the majority of thyroidectomy procedures will be accomplished in the outpatient setting to the benefit of the patient, hospital, surgeon, insurance company, and society.