Thyroidectomy for Graves’ hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism in Graves’ disease can be managed with administration of radioiodine or pharmacologically with thionamides or surgically treated with subtotal or total thyroidectomy. The choice of therapy will depend on patient age and preferences, thyroid size, disease severity, presence of ophthalmopathy, and local resources and practices. Treatment policies vary considerably within and between countries and continents 1. Objective data such as functional results of therapy and morbidity rates 2-10 have often been taken to evaluate the efficacy of surgical treatment, whereas the assessment of other variables, including improved quality of life of the patient, satisfaction of expectations and perception of processes of care, has generally been neglected. More and more, however, these aspects have received increasing attention, particularly in diseases that can be managed using different approaches 11-13. In this retrospective study on a series of surgical patients treated for hyperthyroidism in Graves’ disease, we analyzed questionnaire responses to investigate how patients rated levels of quality of life before and after the operation and satisfaction with processes of care received and treatment outcome.