ABSTRACT
The authors present the experience in the treatment of 1379 patients with autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT). 285 from them underwent surgery (20.6%). Conservative treatment with the use of laser therapy is a base in management of AIT (79.4%). Indications for surgical treatment and its scope were determined intraoperatively according to the results of an urgent biopsy of thyroid gland. They are: cancer of thyroid in combination with AIT, high degree of the risk of malignization, large size of the goitre with the symptoms of constringency of surrounding tissues, presence of pseudonodes and ineffectiveness of the conservative treatment and laser therapy. Follow-up data of the patients after surgical treatment for AIT showed that for several years their mode of life was quite favourable.