The management of hyperthyroidism. A surgeon's perspective.

Surgery for the treatment of hyperthyroidism is rapid and permanent, highly safe, and highly successful and has an important and complementary role with medical therapy and 131I. In Grave's disease cases total thyroidectomy, performed only if parathyroid glands are preserved, prevents recurrent hyperthyroidism. Bilateral subtotal thyroidectomy or total lobectomy with contralateral subtotal lobectomy are done if at least one parathyroid cannot be preserved on each side. In terms of recurrent laryngeal nerve preservation, all three operations are equally safe if the nerve is positively identified and traced throughout its course.