Indications for reoperative thyroid surgery: Application of modern diagnostic techniques
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63341/bmbr/1.2025.08Keywords:
thyroid nodular pathology, autoimmune thyroiditis focal fibrosis, ultrasound Doppler, computed tomography, thyrotropinAbstract
This study aimed to develop a systematic approach to selecting indications for reoperative thyroid surgery by employing contemporary diagnostic methods for objective assessment of the gland and surrounding tissues. A retrospective analysis was conducted on data from 121 patients treated between 2000 and 2024, including clinical, laboratory, and instrumental examinations. The cohort predominantly comprised women (94.2%) with a mean age of 47.6 years. Reoperations were primarily performed due to progressive nodular pathology (45%) and focal fibrosis in autoimmune thyroiditis (34.7%), whereas malignant tumour recurrence was observed in 8.3% of cases. Most nodules were benign (62%), but 38% exhibited high malignancy risk according to the Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (TI-RADS). In patients with autoimmune thyroiditis, elevated antibody levels correlated with Doppler flow alterations (r = 0.68; p < 0.01), serving as a disease activity marker. Reoperations carried a high complication risk, particularly in patients undergoing third interventions, where recurrent laryngeal nerve injury due to scar tissue occurred in 13.3% of
cases. Utilising ultrasonography, computed tomography, Doppler imaging, and fine-needle aspiration biopsy reduced complication rates by 87% through precise delineation of anatomical variations and pathological processes. The
findings underscore the necessity for standardised protocols to enhance surgical outcomes, aligning with international guidelines for thyroid disease monitoring and early diagnosis
Received: 08.09.2024 | Revised: 04.01.2025 | Accepted: 25.02.2025
References
Patel KN, Yip L, Lubitz CC, Grubbs EG, Miller BS, Shen W, et al. The American Association of Endocrine Surgeons guidelines for the definitive surgical management of thyroid disease in adults. Ann Surg. 2020;271(3):e21–93. DOI: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000003580
Shidlovsky O, Sheremet M, Kravtsiv V, Morozovych I. Minimally invasive technologies in the treatment of nodular goiter. Ternopil: Ternopil National Medical University; 2023. 152 P.
Pavlovskyi I, Makar R, Pavlovskyi Y. Repeated (secondary) operations on thyroid (gland) (surgery). Acta Med Leopoliensia. 2019;25(2–3):25–30. DOI: 10.25040/AML2019.02.025
Mykhailiuk E. Age-related features of biochemical blood parameters in people with thyroid dysfunction [Master’s thesis]. Lutsk: Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University; 2023.
Karcioglu ALS, Triponez F, Solórzano CC, Iwata AJ, Ahmed AHA, Almquist M, et al. Emerging imaging technologies for parathyroid gland identification and vascular assessment in thyroid surgery. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2023;149(3):253–60. DOI: 10.1001/JAMAOTO.2022.4421
Orloff LA, Noel JE, Stack BC, Russell MD, Angelos P, Baek JH, et al. Radiofrequency ablation and related ultrasound-guided ablation technologies for treatment of benign and malignant thyroid disease: An international multidisciplinary consensus statement of the American Head and Neck Society Endocrine Surgery Section with the Asia Pacific Society of Thyroid Surgery, Associazione Medici Endocrinologi, British Association of Endocrine and Thyroid Surgeons, European Thyroid Association, Italian Society of Endocrine Surgery Units, Korean Society of Thyroid Radiology, Latin American Thyroid Society, and Thyroid Nodules Therapies Association. Head Neck. 2022;44(3):633–60. DOI: 10.1002/HED.26960
Iliff HA, El‐Boghdadly K, Ahmad I, Davis J, Harris A, Khan S, et al. Management of haematoma after thyroid surgery: Systematic review and multidisciplinary consensus guidelines from the Difficult Airway Society, the British Association of Endocrine and Thyroid Surgeons and the British Association of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery. Anaesthesia. 2022;77(1):82–95. DOI: 10.1111/ANAE.15585
Tjahjono R, Nguyen K, Phung D, Riffat F, Palme CE. Methods of identification of parathyroid glands in thyroid surgery: A literature review. ANZ J Surg. 2021;91(9):1711–6. DOI: 10.1111/ANS.17117
Stefanou CK, Papathanakos G, Stefanou SK, Tepelenis K, Kitsouli A, Barbouti A, et al. Surgical tips and techniques to avoid complications of thyroid surgery. Innov Surg Sci. 2022;7(3–4):115–23. DOI: 10.1515/ISS-2021-0038
Jin S, Sugitani I. Narrative review of management of thyroid surgery complications. Gland Surg. 2021;10(3):1135–46. DOI: 10.21037/GS-20-859
Ahmad H, van der Lugt A. TI-RADS – thyroid imaging reporting and data system [Internet]. [cited 2024 September 1]. Available from: https://radiologyassistant.nl/head-neck/ti-rads/ti-rads
The World Medical Association. Declaration of Helsinki: Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects [Internet]. [cited 2024 September 1]. Available from: https://www.wma.net/what-we-do/medical-ethics/declaration-of-helsinki/
American Thyroid Association. ATA Guidelines & Statements [Internet]. [cited 2024 September 1]. Available from: https://www.thyroid.org/professionals/ata-professional-guidelines/
Wang Z, Qi P, Zhang L, Zhang B, Liu X, Shi Q, et al. Is routine drainage necessary after thyroid surgery? A randomized controlled trial study. Front Endocrinol. 2023;14:1148832. DOI: 10.3389/FENDO.2023.1148832
Tufano RP, Ali KM. The year in surgical thyroidology: Recent technological developments and future challenges. Thyroid. 2022;32(1). DOI: 10.1089/THY.2021.0590
Khosravipour M, Kakavandi MG, Nadri F, Gharagozlou F. The long-term effects of exposure to noise on the levels of thyroid hormones: A four-year repeated measures study. Sci Total Environ. 2021;792:148315. DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2021.148315
Usmanova MH, Ismoilov SI. Optimization of diagnostics of nodular thyroid diseases based on TI-RADS and TBSRTC systems. Am J Med Sci Pharm Res. 2021;3(1):117–23. DOI: 10.37547/TAJMSPR/VOLUME03ISSUE01-18
Wong A, Wong JCY, Pandey PU, Wiseman SM. Novel techniques for intraoperative parathyroid gland identification: A comprehensive review. Expert Rev Endocrinol Metab. 2020;15(6):439–57. DOI: 10.1080/17446651.2020.1831913
Mettias B, Cole S, Valsamakis T. Preoperative investigations in thyroglossal duct cyst surgery: A 9-year experience and proposed practice guide. Ann Royal Col Surg Eng. 2023;105(6). DOI: 10.1308/RCSANN.2022.0060
Demarchi MS, Karenovics W, Bédat B, Triponez F. Near-infrared fluorescent imaging techniques for the detection and preservation of parathyroid glands during endocrine surgery. Innov Surg Sci. 2021;7(3–4):87–98. DOI: 10.1515/ISS-2021-0001
Medas F, Tuveri M, Canu GL, Erdas E, Calò PG. Complications after reoperative thyroid surgery: Retrospective evaluation of 152 consecutive cases. Updates Sur. 2019;71:705–10. DOI: 10.1007/S13304-019-00647-Y
Lukinović J, Bilić M. Overview of thyroid surgery complications. Acta Clin Croat. 2020;59(1):81–6. DOI: 10.20471/ACC.2020.59.S1.10
Tyagi S, Mishra A, Rajendran N, Pushkarna A. An observational study on spectrum of complications in gallstone disease in Western Maharashtra. Int J Med Med Res. 2023;9(2):42–50. DOI: 10.61751/ijmmr/2.2023.42
Ito Y, Onoda N, Okamoto T. The revised clinical practice guidelines on the management of thyroid tumors by the Japan Associations of Endocrine Surgeons: Core questions and recommendations for treatments of thyroid cancer. Endocr J. 2020;67(7):669–717. DOI: 10.1507/ENDOCRJ.EJ20-0025
Mauri G, Hegedüs L, Bandula S, Cazzato RL, Czarniecka A, Dudeck O, et al. European Thyroid Association and Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe 2021 Clinical practice guideline for the use of minimally invasive treatments in malignant thyroid lesions. Eur Thyroid J. 2021;10(3):185–97. DOI: 10.1159/000516469
Poveda MD, Martínez JMM, Pérez OV, Maldonado EG, De La Basarrate AQ, Del Moral JV, et al. Patterns and indications of intraoperative nerve monitoring usage during thyroidectomy and parathyroidectomy in Spain: Results of a national survey of endocrine surgeons. Sci Rep. 2024;14:17680. DOI: 10.1038/S41598-024-68230-Z
Simó R, Nixon IJ, Rovira A, Poorten VV, Sanabria A, Zafereo M, et al. Immediate intraoperative repair of the recurrent laryngeal nerve in thyroid surgery. Laryngoscope. 2021;131(6):1429–35. DOI: 10.1002/LARY.29204
Papini E, Monpeyssen H, Frasoldati A, Hegedüs L. 2020 European Thyroid Association Clinical practice guideline for the use of image-guided ablation in benign thyroid nodules. Eur Thyroid J. 2020;9(4):172–85. DOI: 10.1159/000508484
Solórzano CC, Thomas G, Berber E, Wang TS, Randolph GW, Duh QY, et al. Current state of intraoperative use of near infrared fluorescence for parathyroid identification and preservation. Surg. 2021;169(4):868–78. DOI: 10.1016/J.SURG.2020.09.01
Livhits MJ, Zhu CY, Kuo EJ, Nguyen DT, Kim J, Tseng CH, et al. Effectiveness of molecular testing techniques for diagnosis of indeterminate thyroid nodules. JAMA Oncol. 2021;7(1):70–7. DOI: 10.1001/JAMAONCOL.2020.5935
Seifert P, Maikowski I, Winkens T, Kühnel C, Gühne F, Drescher R, et al. Ultrasound cine loop standard operating procedure for benign thyroid diseases – evaluation of non-physician application. Diagnostics. 2021;11(1):67. DOI: 10.3390/DIAGNOSTICS11010067
Ludwig B, Ludwig M, Dziekiewicz A, Mikuła A, Cisek J, Biernat S, et al. Modern surgical techniques of thyroidectomy and advances in the prevention and treatment of perioperative complications. Cancers. 2023;15(11):2931. DOI: 10.3390/CANCERS15112931
Branca JJV, Bruschi AL, Pilia AM, Carrino D, Guarnieri G, Gulisano M, et al. The thyroid gland: A revision study on its vascularization and surgical implications. Medicina. 2022;58(1):137. DOI: 10.3390/MEDICINA58010137
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Bulletin of Medical and Biological Research

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.











