We report the result of 96 cases of nodular thyroid disease operated for 7 years from April 1985 to February 1992 at the department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck surgery. The results were as follows : 1) Among the total 96 cases, thyroid cancers were 11 cases, and benign thyroid diseases were 85 cases. The most frequent types were papillary adenocarcinoma and adenoma. 2) Females were more frequently affected with ratio of 89 and 7 respectively. Age distribution was prevalent in the 4th decade. 3) All patients with nodular thyroid disease complained of mass, followed by fatigue, palpitation, headache, indigestion and anorexia, and sweating in order. 4) The right lobe was more affected than the left lobe in the benign thyroid disease, but similarily affected in the thyroid cancer. 5) The thyroid scanning showed cold nodule in 89.4% of the benign thyroid disease and 81.8% of the thyroid malignancy. 6) On frozen section, no false positivity was found in malignancy. False negativity was found in 4.8% of benign thyroid diseases. 7) The most common surgical procedures in benign thyroid diseases were ipsilateral total lobectomy, and in the malignant thyroid diseases were subtotal thyroidectomy with selective neck dissection. Postoperative complications were transient ipsilateral nerve palsy in 4 cases and hematoma in 3 case. |