Epidemiology and Management of Surgical Thyroid Disorders: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Abstract

Introduction: Thyroid disorders, including thyroiditis, Graves' disease, and goiter, are prevalent endocrine conditions with significant clinical implications. This retrospective study aimed to investigate the epidemiology and management of surgical thyroid disorders in a local population. Methods This retrospective observational study was conducted at the General Surgery Department of Damascus Hospital, Syria, from 2017 to 2023. Medical records of 120 patients who underwent thyroid surgery were reviewed. Sociodemographic characteristics, medical and surgical history, diagnostic procedures, surgical techniques, pathology reports, and postoperative complications were analysed. Results The most common thyroid lesions were goiter (68.3%) and thyroid nodules. Females comprised 88.3% of the study population. There was no significant correlation between patient age, sex, or smoking habits and the occurrence of surgical thyroid lesions. Papillary thyroid carcinoma was the predominant malignant neoplasm. Comorbidities such as hypertension (18.3%) and a history of caesarean section (24.2%) were common. Neck ultrasonography (94.2%) and fine-needle aspiration biopsy were the primary diagnostic tools. Complete thyroidectomy (69.2%) was the most frequent surgical intervention. Permanent hypocalcemia (48.3%) was the most prevalent postoperative complication. Conclusion This retrospective study provides a comprehensive overview of the clinical characteristics, diagnostic approaches, and surgical management of thyroid disorders in the local population. The findings contribute to the understanding of the epidemiology and management of these common endocrine conditions.