Thyroid and parathyroid surgical complications.

Ninety-five thyroid and 19 parathyroid patients underwent 114 operations over the past 10 years. Total thyroidectomy was the preferred procedure. There were no recognized injuries to the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve. Five recurrent laryngeal nerve injuries occurred, but only one was clinically significant. Most injuries (three of five) occurred during lobectomies. One injury occurred during a total thyroidectomy, and one occurred during a completion thyroidectomy. No patients developed permanent hypoparathyroidism. The nerve injury rate was 1%, and the hypoparathyroidism rate was 0% for 114 operations.