Editorial: "ten commandments" of safe and optimum thyroid surgery

Postoperative pain management using an intravenous combination of ibuprofen and acetaminophen compared with acetaminophen alone after thyroidectomy: A prospective randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Multiple medications are more effective than single agents for postoperative pain management. We investigated the analgesic effects of an intravenous combination of acetaminophen and ibuprofen immediately after thyroidectomy.

METHODS

In this double-blind clinical trial, 62 patients who underwent thyroidectomies were randomized to either the treatment (1000 mg acetaminophen, 300 mg ibuprofen) or control (1000 mg acetaminophen) group. Postoperative pain intensity was assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS) 0, 15, and 30 min after recovery room admission. Opioid rescue consumption was also recorded.

RESULTS

The VAS scores were significantly lower in the treatment than in the control group 15 [3 (2-4.3) vs. 5 (3-6); p = 0.015] and 30 [3 (2-4.3) vs. 4 (3-5); p = 0.018] min after recovery room admission, as were the opioid rescue dose requirements (p = 0.033).

CONCLUSIONS

Combined intravenous acetaminophen and ibuprofen may be better than acetaminophen alone for immediately acute postoperative pain after thyroidectomy.

Carotid artery blood flow changes associated with head positioning in patients undergoing thyroidectomy

Background and Aims:

There are possibilities of insufficiency in blood flow through carotid arteries during head positioning in thyroid surgeries under general anesthesia which is usually compensated by collateral circulation in normal conditions. This compensation may be hampered in patients with congenital abnormalities or diseases such as atherosclerosis. We aimed to elucidate the changes in common carotid artery blood flow related to head positioning during thyroid surgery by Doppler examination.

Methods:

In this observational prospective study, Doppler examination of both common carotid arteries including arterial diameter, peak systolic velocity, average velocity, and blood flow volume of forty patients who had undergone elective thyroidectomy under endotracheal anesthesia was done. Three sets of data (baseline, after induction, and after surgery) were collected and analyzed.

Results:

There was a significant reduction in the diameter (P = 0.002) and the blood flow (P = 0.0001) in both carotid arteries and an increase in peak and mean velocity which was more pronounced immediately after head positioning and persisted till the end of the procedure. There was no correlation between the hemodynamic parameters with the carotid artery diameter, blood flow, and velocity.

Conclusions:

The head-and-neck positioning during thyroidectomy surgery reduces the blood flow through the carotid arteries which continued till the end of the procedure.

Extended Surgical Implication of Tubercle of Zuckerkandl in Total Thyroidectomy

The primary objective of the study was to assess the Tubercle of zuckerkandl (TZ) during thyroid surgeries and its relationship with RLN and Superior parathyroid (SP). A prospective study was done in, 30 consecutive cases of total thyroidectomy in whom per operatively TZ was identified. The presence of TZ, its laterality, size, relationship with RLN and parathyroid glands were documented. A grading system outlined by Pelizzo was applied in our current study. In majority of the cases the RLN was found to lie medial to TZ (26/30), followed by lateral position (3/30) and one case it was found to be posterior to TZ (1/30). The superior parathyroid was identified in close relation (< 2 cm) to the TZ in 27/30 cases. The distance between the TZ and SP was assessed. We proposed a classification for location of SP based on the distance between SP and TZ and also attempted to relate each class of SP location with TZ grade. There was strong association of Grade of TZ with the class of SP location (p value = 0.00046). TZ is constant surgical landmark with good reliability to identify the RLN and SP. RLN is found medial to TZ in majority of cases with few exceptions. SP is found to be closely associated with TZ in majority of cases and there is a strong relationship of proximity of SP and TZ with respect to TZ grade. Although this required further studies with larger population.

A case of asystole from carotid sinus hypersensitivity during patient positioning for thyroidectomy

Background

We present a case of a patient with multinodular goiter disease who suffered asystole during head hyperextension for surgical positioning on the operational table.

Case Presentation

Manipulation of carotid sinus may trigger bradycardia or even asystole even in patients without prior history of carotid sinus hypersensitivity. The time proximity between patient positioning and asystole, the late responsiveness to atropine, the immediate increase of heart rate after head elevation and the lack of any other trigger factor or prior history support the hypothesis of carotid sinus syndrome.

Conclusions

Head hyperextension during surgical positioning is not only responsible for jeopardizing blood flow to spinal cord and brainstem but may trigger reflexes, as well, even in patients without prior neck pathology.