Surgical Outcomes of Solitary Thyroid Nodules: An Experience from a Tertiary Care Center

Abstract

Background: Solitary thyroid nodules are common clinical findings and may represent benign or malignant disease. Accurate preoperative assessment and appropriate surgical management are essential to achieve favorable outcomes and minimize complications.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical presentation, diagnostic findings, histopathological patterns, surgical procedures, and postoperative outcomes of patients with solitary thyroid nodules at a tertiary care center.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted over six months, from November 2022 to May 2023, and included 60 patients undergoing surgery for solitary thyroid nodules. Demographic data, clinical presentation, ultrasonographic TI-RADS category, fine-needle aspiration cytology, operative procedure, final histopathology, hospital stay, and postoperative complications were recorded and analyzed.

Results: The mean age was 42.6 ± 12.4 years, and 46 patients (76.7%) were female. Hemithyroidectomy or lobectomy was the most commonly performed procedure in 34 patients (56.7%). Final histopathology showed benign lesions in 39 patients (65.0%) and malignant lesions in 21 patients (35.0%). Papillary thyroid carcinoma was the most frequent malignancy, affecting 16 patients (26.7%). Fine-needle aspiration cytology demonstrated an overall diagnostic accuracy of 90.5%. Higher TI-RADS categories were significantly associated with malignancy (p<0.001). Postoperative complications occurred in 13 patients (21.7%), with transient hypocalcaemia being the most common complication. No postoperative mortality was recorded.

Conclusion: Combined clinical, ultrasonographic, and cytological assessment effectively supports surgical decision-making in solitary thyroid nodules. Surgery generally provides favorable outcomes, with low permanent morbidity when performed by experienced teams.

Keywords: Thyroid Nodule; Thyroidectomy; Thyroid Neoplasms; Treatment Outcome; Fine-Needle Aspiration Biopsy; Ultrasonography; Postoperative Complications