Ambulatory thyroid surgery: an audit of safety and outcomes.

INTRODUCTION Elective hemithyroidectomy is a common operation with a low complication rate. The aim of this study was to conduct an audit on the safety and efficacy of ambulatory hemithyroidectomy in carefully-selected patients. METHODS This is a cohort study of 114 patients who were scheduled to have either ambulatory (50 patients) or inpatient (64 patients) hemithyroidectomy over a two-year period. Selection for day case surgery was based on pre-established criteria and patient preference. Preoperative patient characteristics, indications for surgery, operative characteristics, histological diagnoses and surgical complications are compared. RESULTS Of the 50 patients selected for day case surgery, 45 (90 percent) were discharged on the day of surgery. The complication rates of the two groups were similar. Two patients required admission for wound complications and the other three were admitted for non-medical reasons. CONCLUSION The overall complication rate was low. There were no differences in the rate of complications between ambulatory and inpatient hemithyroidectomies. Ambulatory hemithyroidectomy can be performed safely for a select group of patients in the setting of appropriate facility and management protocol.