[Does decreased preoperative diagnosis in goiter surgery present special challenges for the surgeon? What stays indispensible? What is superfluous?].

Patient history, clinical examination, basal TSH, and ultrasound are the crucial factors for the indication of surgical treatment of the goiter. In our study, additional scintiscan failed to locate additional nodules found by intraoperative digital examination of the thyroid in 10.3%, and therefore leads to no additional security in determining the extent of thyroid resection (exception: autonomous goiter). Intraoperative inspection and palpation of both thyroid lobes remains the most important factor in preventing goiter recurrence.