[Subtotal thyroid resection in severe, iodine-induced hyperthyroidism].

Iodine-induced thyrotoxicosis due to iodine application in high amounts in patients with circumscript or disseminated thyroid autonomy, is complicated by a prolonged course, mainly due to a resistance to conservative therapy with thiourea derivates. We therefore decided to perform an early subtotal thyroidectomy in 24 thyrotoxic patients. This measure is in contrast to the common opinion that surgery should only be performed after normalization of thyroid hormones. In all 24 patients with severe hyperthyroidism, including three patients with thyroid storm, hormone levels decreased within a few days after surgery to normal or subnormal values and the clinical picture of thyrotoxicosis disappeared. In the case of thyroid storm the signs of disorientation normalized within 1-3 days. One patient died five weeks after surgery due to severe concomitant diseases. One patient exhibited transitory respiration distress and another had postoperative hypocalcemia. In 13 patients L-thyroxine replacement became necessary due to subclinical or clinical hypothyroidism. Surgery as a early treatment for thyrotoxicosis should be reserved for patients with severe illness where conservative treatment has been shown to be ineffective. In rare selected cases, when a rapid normalization is required, surgery without preoperative treatment seems to be justified. The effect of surgery was impressive in all our cases and there were only minor perioperative complications.