[Treatment of endocrine orbital disease by elimination of the thyroid gland. The effect of unsuccessful elimination, severe pretibial myxedema and persistence of hypothyroidism after removal in long-term results].

The reason why soon after elimination of the thyroid gland protrusion of the bulbi does not recede and adequate regression of soft orbital tissue infiltration does not occur is at first the short time which has elapsed after elimination. The result usually is recorded only later. The long-term cause of minor improvement is the impossibility to combine surgery of the thyroid gland and radioiodine with corticoids, as well as incomplete thyroid elimination and presence of residues and finally pretibial myxoedema associated with a persisting high level of antibodies against the receptor for TSH. Hypothyroidism after the eliminating dose must not be left too long, so far a period of 3-4 weeks seems adequate.