Changing patterns of thyroid pathology and trends of surgical treatment

Abstract EN

Objective: to give an idea about thyroid diseases in Iraq and the change in the behavior of the diseases and the trends of the surgeons toward more radical surgery. Methods: Two hundred and twenty four patients were operated upon by the same surgeon during 15 years period.

Those patients were divided into two groups (group I from June 1990 up to June 2000) and (group II from June 2000-June 2005). Results: Female to male ratio was 3.3:1.

The most common presentation among both groups was Multinodular goiter (MNG) 76.8%.

Toxic goiter was recorded in 24% of patients with increase among group II patients.

A significant effect of stress on the increasing incidence of thyrotoxicosis was elicited in more than 50% of patients with thyrotoxicosis.

Malignant thyroid tumors constituted 8.5% of the diseases and they were mostly papillary carcinoma.

There was an increase in the incidence of malignant thyroid tumors among group II patients (2.65% in group I versus 13.5% in group II).

The trend toward more radical surgery was evident among group II patients. Conclusions: thyroid malignancy and thyrotoxicosis are increasing in our country and stress factor might play a role in this rise.

Due to the previous changes, the surgeon attitude had changed toward more radical surgery.