Thyroidectomy Outcomes in Older Adults

Does the growing population of older adults (age ≥65 years) face a heightened risk profile for thyroidectomy compared with younger patients?This systematic review and meta-analysis of 11 studies comprising 427 886 patients found greater odds of recurrent laryngeal nerve injury (2.30% vs 1.00%), postoperative hematoma (2.40% vs 1.00%), and mortality (0.30% vs 0.01%) among older compared with younger adults; however, rates of hypocalcemia and wound complication were similar.These findings suggest that thyroidectomy is safe in older patients while individualized counseling and perioperative planning remain appropriate given the small absolute differences in complication rates.

Corresponding Author: Gustavo Romero-Velez, MD, Department of Endocrine Surgery, Integrated Surgical Institute, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44195 (romerog4@ccf.org).

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