RESULTS
Of the 77 patients included in our study, 14(18.2%) were male and 63
(81.2%) were female. The male to female ratio was approximately 1:4.
Ages of the patients at the time of surgery were ranging from 19 to 75
with a mean 47,1±10,6. Final surgical specimen pathology was diagnosed
as malignant for 28 patients (36,4%) and benign for 49 patients
(63,6%). Of the 28 malignant patients, 25 of them were papillary
carcinoma and its variants, 2 of them follicular carcinoma and 1 of them
was Hurthle cell carcinoma. Twenty-five (32,5%) patients required
secondary (completion) surgery for malignant pathologies. Secondary
surgeries were contralateral thyroid lobectomies in early postoperative
period for proper follow up and/or effective radioactive iodine
treatment. After the surgery and nuclear medicine consultation, 20
patients required radioactive iodine ablation treatment. After the
surgeries and at least 1 year follow up period, 4 patients encountered
unilateral vocal fold paralysis and diagnosed as permanent vocal fold
paralysis. None of the patients required laryngeal framework surgery for
vocal fold paralysis. None of the patients encountered hematoma and
required reoperation for hematoma control.
The mean overall satisfaction score was 1,6 (1: normal 10: worst) and
the vast majority of the patients (74/77, 96.1%) were satisfied with
their surgical scars. Only 3 patients (3.9%) have 6 or more overall
satisfaction score. The digital photographic examples of some patients
were shown in Figure 2a,b,c,d.
Mean OSAS score was 6,91±3,27 (ranging between 5 to 29) and PSAS score
was 9,16±6,01 (ranging between 6 to 34). There was a moderate
statistically significant relationship between observer scar assessment
scale (OSAS) scores and patient scar assessment scale (PSAS) scores.
(r=0,364 p=0,001).
Significantly higher OSAS scores were observed in patients who have
secondary (completion of contralateral lobectomy) surgery and
radioactive iodine treatment (p<0,001 p=0,034 respectively).