Quality of life after thyroid surgery.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to inquire how patients' quality of life is affected after thyroid surgery and the factors involved. METHODS: A semi-structured questionnaire and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale (WHOQOL-BREF) were applied to 101 patients prior to surgery. Thereafter data was collected in the early and again in the late post-operative period. RESULTS: Mean general health score for pre-operative quality of life was 6.72 ± 1.53 (3-10), mean physical field score was 22.81 ± 2.77 (17-31), mean psychological field score was 21.69 ± 2.78 (15-28), mean social field score was 11.10 ± 1.94 (5-15) and mean environmental field score was 27.86 ± 4.30 (18-39). In the early post-operative period, mean general health score was 7.05 ± 1.45 (4-10), mean physical field score was 22.84 ± 2.83 (14-29), mean psychological field score was 21.67 ± 2.32 (16-27), mean social field score was 10.89 ± 1.96 (5-15) and mean environmental field score was 28.56 ± 4.18 (18-40). In the late post-operative period, the general health score for quality of life was 7.43 ± 1.34 (4-10), mean physical field score was 23.59 ± 2.70 (17-35), mean psychological field score was 21.75 ± 2.34 (14-29), mean social field score was 11.23 ± 1.94 (6-15) and mean on-field environment score was 29.30 ± 3.96 (16-40). The pre-operative levels of symptoms were found to be higher than early and late post-operative periods. CONCLUSIONS: Quality of life increased after total thyroidectomy and statistically significant improvement was observed in late post-operative stage.

Lichtenstein or darn procedure in inguinal hernia repair: a prospective randomized comparative study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the outcome of patients with inguinal hernia where the Moloney darn or Lichtenstein procedure was used as the surgical choice. METHOD: A herniorrhaphy procedure was performed in a total of 306 patients at our clinic between January 2003 and December 2008. The duration of operations and complication and recurrent rates were compared between the two groups. Hematoma formation, seroma collection, and wound infection were accepted as early complications, whereas chronic pain, loss of sensation at the operation site, and the rejection of mesh were accepted as late complications. RESULTS: Considering early complications as hematoma formation, the accumulation of seroma and wound infection ratios were similar in the two groups. Loss of sensation at the operation site and chronic pain, which were classified as late complications, were similar in the groups. However, in considering rejection, there were three rejections in the group where mesh was used. CONCLUSION: The darn repair method is simple, safe, and has similar recurrence rates when compared to the Lichtenstein method in inguinal hernia patients.