Associations between body mass index and complications after total thyroidectomy: An analysis of patient records at a large public hospital in Ankara, Turkey

Abstract

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Background: Obesity is a major public health problem, with increasing rates noted globally. This study aimed to compare the surgical outcomes of total thyroidectomy in normal-weight, overweight, and obese patients.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 601 patients who underwent thyroidectomy between 2009 and 2016. Recorded data included patient demographics, preoperative diagnosis, preoperative biochemical markers, length of stay, operative time, postoperative histopathologic diagnosis, and complications. Patients were categorized into 3 groups based on body mass index: group A (normal weight), group B (overweight), and group C (obese).

Results: Of the 415 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy, 81 patients (19.5%) were in group A, 164 patients (39.5%) were in group B, and 170 patients (41%) were in group C. No statistically significant differences were observed among the groups in terms of age, comorbid illness, preoperative biochemical markers, or postoperative diagnosis, except for gender distribution. Similarly, no differences were noted among the groups in terms of postoperative length of stay or operative time (P>0.05). The incidence of postoperative complications did not significantly vary among groups (P>0.05).

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that obese and overweight patients did not experience higher rates of complications while undergoing total thyroidectomy relative to their normal-weight counterparts.