[Surgery for benign goiter in Germany: fewer operations, changed resectional strategy, fewer complications]. / Strumachirurgie in Deutschland: Weniger Operationen, geänderte Resektionsstrategien, weniger Komplikationen.

BACKGROUND: The increase of certain operations in the wake of the introduction of the German Diagnosis-Related Groups (G-DRG) system rekindled debate on the risk-benefit profile of what is widely being perceived as a too high number of thyroidectomies for benign goiter in Germany. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The numbers of thyroidectomy for benign goiter from 2005-2011 were obtained from the Federal Bureau of Statistics ("Statistisches Bundesamt"). For the purpose of the study, the following operation and procedure key (OPS) codes were selected: hemithyroidectomy (OPS code 5-061); partial thyroid resection (OPS code 5-062); total thyroidectomy (OPS code 5-063); and thyroid surgeries via sternotomy (OPS code 5-064). The rates of permanent hypoparathyroidism and vocal cord palsy were calculated based on two prospective multicenter evaluation studies conducted in 1998-2001 (PETS 1) and 2010-2013 (PETS 2) in Germany. RESULTS: Between 2005 and 2011, the number of thyroidectomies for benign thyroid goiter decreased by 8 %, and the age-standardized surgery rate decreased by 6 % in men (2005: 599 per 1 million; 2011: 565 per 1 million) and 11 % in women (2005: 1641 per 1 million; 2011: 1463 per 1 million). At the same time, the rates of partial and subtotal thyroidectomy decreased by 59 % in men and 64 % in women, whereas the rates of hemithyroidectomy and total thyroidectomy increased by 65 % (113 %) in men and 42 % (97 %) in women. Despite a greater proportion of thyroidectomies over time, the approximated rates for postoperative hypoparathyroidism were reduced from 2.98 to 0.83 % and for postoperative vocal cord palsy from 1.06 to 0.86 %. Irrespective of that decline, either complication was more frequent after total than after subtotal thyroidectomy. CONCLUSION: The total number of thyroid surgeries due to benign goiter has decreased substantially in Germany from 2005 through 2011. Despite changes in the resectional strategy with an increase in the total number thyroidectomies and a decrease of subtotal resections, the rates for postoperative hypoparathyroidism and vocal cord palsy have decreased. The complication rates for total thyroidectomy, however, are still higher compared to subtotal resection. An individualized risk-oriented surgical approach is warranted.

Guidelines on radioiodine therapy for differentiated thyroid carcinoma: impact on clinical practice.

AIM: For the examination of the impact on clinical practice of the guidelines for differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC), treatment data from the ongoing Multicenter Study Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma (MSDS) were analyzed. PATIENTS, METHODS: Patients were randomized to adjuvant external beam radiotherapy (RTx) or no RTx in addition to standard therapy in TNM stages pT4 pN0/1/x M0/x (UICC, 5th ed. 1997). All patients were to receive the same treatment regimen consisting of thyroidectomy, ablative radioiodine therapy (RIT), and a diagnostic 131I whole-body scintigraphy (WBS) 3-4 months after RIT. RESULTS: Of 339 eligible patients enrolled between January 2000 and March 2004, 273 could be analyzed. Guideline recommendations by the German Society for Nuclear Medicine from 1999 and 1992 were complied with within 28% and 82% with regard to the interval between surgery and RIT (4 vs. 4-6 weeks), in 33% and 84% with regard to 131I activity for RIT (1-3 vs. 1-4 GBq; +/- 10%), and in 16% and 60% with regard to 131I activity for WBS (100-300 vs. 100-400 MBq; +/- 10%). CONCLUSIONS: The 1999 guideline revision appears to have had little impact on clinical practice. Further follow-up will reveal if guideline compliance had an effect on outcomes.

[Ambulatory and brief inpatient thyroid gland and parathyroid gland surgery]. / Ambulante und kurzzeitstationäre Schilddrüsen- und Nebenschilddrüsenchirurgie.

Outpatient or short-stay thyroid and parathyroid surgery is still uncommon in Germany. Although a substantial number of these operations are performed with low morbidity, nearly zero mortality, and short operation time, some potentially lethal complications, especially postoperative hemorrhage, are strong arguments against liberal shortening of hospital stay. Symptomatic hematomas after thyroid and parathyroid surgery are observed in about 1-2% of cases. They frequently occur during the first 8 h after operation (40%). However, two thirds of these major complications occur later, about 20% of them more than 24 h postoperatively. Therefore, an outpatient procedure cannot be generally recommended. Short-stay (<23 h, overnight) thyroid and parathyroid surgery may be attractive, but this concept requires clear release-criteria and professional outpatient structures. Compared to general anesthesia, local and regional anesthesia did not emerge as helpful to shorten hospital stay. Also, prophylactic calcium supplementation is not recommended to enhance early hospital discharge after bilateral thyroid or parathyroid surgery.

Multicenter study differentiated thyroid carcinoma (MSDS). Diminished acceptance of adjuvant external beam radiotherapy.

AIM: The Multicenter Study Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma (MSDS) is an ongoing study in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland on the clinical benefit of adjuvant external beam radiotherapy (RTx) for locally invasive differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) in TNM stages pT4 pN0/1/x M0/x (5th ed. 1997). METHODS: MSDS was designed as a prospective randomized trial. Patients receive thyroidectomy, radioiodine therapy (RIT) to ablate the thyroid remnant, and TSH-suppressive L-thyroxine therapy with or without RTx after documented elimination of cervical iodine-131 uptake (http://msds-studie.uni-muenster.de). RESULTS: 311 patients were enrolled between January 2000 and March 2003. 279 patients met the trial's inclusion criteria. 45 consented to randomization, of whom 17 were randomized into treatment arm A (RTx) and 18 into arm B (no RTx). Advised by the trial's independent Data Monitoring and Safety Committee, the MSDS steering committee decided to terminate randomization in April 2003 and continue MSDS as a prospective cohort study. 23 of the 234 patients in the observation arm of the trial were prescribed RTx by their physicians. Thus, 14% of the trial cohort were randomized or assigned to receive RTx (in-tention-to-treat analysis). In contrast, at least 44% of all patients with pT4 papillary DTC in Germany in the nation-wide PCES study underwent RTx in 1996 (p <0.001, chi(2)-test). CONCLUSIONS: Acceptance of external beam RTx as a treatment modality for DTC has receded to a degree that accrual of a sufficient number of patients for a randomized trial has been impossible. Observation of the trial cohort is continued in order to assess clinical event rates with and without RTx and chronic RTx toxicity.

[Multi-modality therapy concept in metastatic follicular thyroid carcinoma with hyperthyroidism]. / Multimodales Therapiekonzept bei metastasiertem folliculären Schilddrüsencarcinom mit Hyperthyreose.

The coincidence of hyperthyroidism and thyroid carcinoma seldom occurs. Only few reports on functionally metastases of thyroid carcinoma have been published. We report a 59-year-old man who underwent subtotal thyroidectomy for toxic nodular goiter. Histological examination revealed a follicular thyroid carcinoma. After thyroidectomy and cervical lymphadenectomy the patient developed a strong hyperthyreosis. Scintigraphy showed strong radioiodine uptake in the sacrum. De-bulking resection of the metastasis followed by high-dose radioiodine treatment was performed. After radioiodine therapy the patient became euthyroid. Treatment of hyperthyreosis in metastatic thyroid cancer requires a multimodal therapeutic concept.