Completion thyroidectomy for differentiated thyroid carcinoma

Prevalence and Predictors of Malignancy in Contralateral Thyroid Lobe in Patients Undergoing Completion Thyroidectomy

(1) To determine prevalence of malignancy in contralateral lobe (CL) in patients undergoing completion thyroidectomy (CT) and to study complications of CT. (2) To analyze clinical, ultrasonography(USG) findings and histopathological features of the tumor in ipsilateral lobe (IL) that could predict malignancy in CL. Retrospective chart review of 40-patients who first underwent hemi-thyroidectomy for fine-needle-aspiration (FNA) diagnosed benign lesions followed by CT between September-2017 and November-2019. Histopathology reports from both surgeries, along with patient characteristics and USGfeatures of initial hemi-thyroid lobe were reviewed. Thirty-two (80%) of the 40 patients were female. Mean age of presentation was 38.2 years (Range = 19-61years). Malignancy was found in 22(55%) contralateral-lobes of 40 completion thyroidectomies performed. Multi-focality of tumor in first surgery was only factor with significant association with presence of malignancy in CL (OR = 5.53, 95% CI 1.01-30.35, p = 0.048).In terms of USG-findings, most common suspicious feature in IL was peripheral/rim calcification, with TIRADS ≥ 4 was present in 19 patients but none of features could significantly predict bilateral disease. Three (7.5%) patients developed permanent unilateral recurrent-laryngeal-nerve (RLN) palsy (2-following initial surgery and 1-following CT). Fourteen (35%) patients developed hypoparathyroidism following CT of whom 12 were symptomatic and 4(10%) proceeded to permanent hypoparathyroidism. There were no other major complication following CT. Multifocality in initial hemithyroidectomy specimen was most frequently associated with malignancy in CL. Preoperative TIRADS ≥ 4 of IL may be considered a risk factor for bilateral malignancy. CT may be performed in FNA misdiagnosed thyroid cancers as there is high prevalence(56%) of disease in CL. CT is safe and it eradicates disease in CL.

Outcomes of Early Versus Delayed Completion Thyroidectomy for Malignancy

Purpose

To determine whether time interval between hemi-thyroidectomy and subsequent completion thyroidectomy impacts outcomes.

Methods

Retrospective review of 68 patients having completion thyroidectomy from August 2012 to December 2019. Patients were separated into two groups based on the time interval between surgeries: early (≤10 days) or delayed (≥90 days).

Results

Patients who underwent delayed completion thyroidectomy (n = 17) had significantly higher rates of hypocalcemia and/or hypoparathyroidism ( P = .03) and higher rates of requiring postoperative hospitalization ( P=.07) compared to those who underwent early completion thyroidectomy (n = 51). Delayed completion had significantly lower risk of developing one or more of dysphonia, dysphagia, or vocal cord paresis postoperatively ( P=.02). No patients developed hematoma or wound infection.

Conclusions

Delayed completion thyroidectomy is associated with increased rates of hypocalcemia, but lower rates of dysphonia and dysphagia. Given the low risk of long-term complications in both groups, it may be beneficial to perform completion thyroidectomy early in order to expedite cancer treatment.

Impact of completion thyroidectomy timing on post-operative complications: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Despite a number of studies, the optimal timing of completion thyroidectomy is still controversial. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to compare the outcomes of early versus delayed completion thyroidectomy regarding post-operative complications.

Methods

We performed a systematic review in electronic databases including: bumped, Scopus, Medline and Google Scholar to identify relevant studies. Eligibility criteria included studies comparing the outcomes of early versus delayed completion thyroidectomy with no language restriction. Publication bias was assessed by funnel plot, and Heterogeneity was assessed using I² statistic. Finally, pooled odds ratios (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was reported for comparing the overall complications rate.

Results

Eventually 7 studies were included. Delayed completion thyroidectomy was found to be associated with significantly lower rates of post-operative complications (OR =1.55; 95% CI, 1.00-2.42; Z=1.95; P=0.05) with low heterogeneity (I²=0%, P=0.55), and low risk of publication bias. The rate of transient hypocalcemia and persistent hypocalcemia were 8.97% and 1.52% in early completion thyroidectomy group, and 8.2% and 0.72%, in delayed completion thyroidectomy group. Transient vocal cord paresis occurred in 5.38% of the early CT group versus 3.27% in the delayed CT group.

Conclusions

This review is the first to summarize the outcome of early verse delayed completion thyroidectomy. The result of our systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that delayed completion thyroidectomy is associated with lower rate of post-operative complications compared to early completion thyroidectomy.

Surgical treatment of thyroid follicular neoplasms: results of a retrospective analysis of a large clinical series

The most appropriate surgical management of "follicular neoplasm/suspicious for follicular neoplasm" lesions (FN), considering their low definitive malignancy rate and the limited predictive power of preoperative clinic-diagnostic factors, is still controversial. On behalf of the Italian Association of Endocrine Surgery Units (U.E.C. CLUB), we collected and analyzed the experience of 26 endocrine centers by computerized questionnaire. 1379 patients, surgically treated after a FN diagnosis from January 2012 and December 2103, were evaluated. Histological features, surgical complications, and medium-term outcomes were reported. Total thyroidectomy (TT) was performed in 1055/1379 patients (76.5 %), while hemithyroidectomy (HT) was carried out in 324/1379 cases (23.5 %). Malignancy rate was higher in TT than in HT groups (36.4 vs. 26.2 %), whereas the rates of transient and definitive hypoparathyroidism following TT were higher than after HT. Consensual thyroiditis (16.8 vs. 9.9 %) and patient age (50.9 vs. 47.9 %) also differed between groups. A cytological FN diagnosis was associated to a not negligible malignancy rate (469/1379 patients; 34 %), that was higher in TT than in HT groups. However, a lower morbidity rate was observed in HT, which should be considered the standard of care in solitary lesions in absence of specific risk factors. Malignancy could not be preoperatively assessed and clinical decision-making is still controversial. Further efforts should be spent to more accurately preoperatively classify FN thyroid nodules.

Tc-99m radio-guided completion thyroidectomy for differentiated thyroid carcinoma

Background:

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether or not radio-guided surgery has any beneficial effects on completion thyroidectomy (CT) and the associated complication rates.

Patients and Methods:

Twenty-seven patients were scheduled for CT, for thyroid carcinoma, from December 2004 to June 2005, and were included in the study. All the patients had had initial thyroid surgery in other centers and been referred to our clinic for CT. Operation findings and the effectiveness of Tc-99m radio-guided CT were analyzed.

Results:

The intraoperative mean ratio of thyroid activity to background activity counted with a gamma probe was 1.3 ± 0.3. Average operation timing was 74 ± 9 minutes. Postoperatively, no residual tissue was detected in any of the patients with ultrasonography and thyroid scintigraphy. In the first postoperative month, serum TSH level was 61 ± 16.4 mIU / L, when preoperatively it was 7.3 ± 3.1 mIU / L (P < 0.001). In the postoperative period, one patient experienced temporary hypoparathyroidism (3.9%). Permanent hypoparathyroidism or recurrent laryngeal nerve damage was not detected in any patient.

Conclusion:

Tc-99 radio-guided CT is a reliable surgical method, which provides the detection and removal of residual thyroid tissues with minimal complications.

Revision thyroid surgery - technical considerations

Reoperative thyroid surgery is a technical challenge with a high incidence of complications and recurrent disease. It requires a thorough understanding of the anatomy and biology of the disease process, expertise in surgical technique, and avoidance of complications related to recurrent laryngeal nerve and parathyroid glands. Preoperative evaluation includes review of previous surgical procedures and pathology reports and evaluation of the extent of the disease with appropriate imaging studies. Preoperative evaluation of the vocal cord and vocal cord function is vitally important. Postoperative adjuvant treatment with radioactive iodine or external radiation therapy should be considered in selected individuals. Proper histologic evaluation of the recurrent thyroid tumor is important, to rule out poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Despite good surgical resection, the incidence of local recurrence in the central compartment is high in patients undergoing reoperative thyroid surgery.

Completion Thyroidectomy Versus Total Thyroidectomy: Is There a Difference in Complication Rates? An Analysis of 350 Patients

BACKGROUND

This study compared our experience with completion thyroidectomy (CT) and total thyroidectomy (TT) in the management of well-differentiated thyroid cancer (WDTC). We compared complication rates and analyzed the implications of the intraoperative management of the parathyroid glands.

STUDY DESIGN

We performed a retrospective cohort study comparing outcomes between patients undergoing CT and TT between January 1994 and December 2004. All patients had surgery for either suspected or confirmed WDTC on fine-needle aspiration.

RESULTS

There were 201 CTs and 149 TTs. Mean hospital stays were 4.5 and 3.5 days for the CT and TT groups, respectively (p=0.001). Temporary recurrent laryngeal nerve paresis occurred in 2.0% (4 of 201) and 3.3% (5 of 149) of patients in the CT and TT groups, respectively. There was one (0.5%) case of permanent recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis in the CT group. Permanent hypoparathyroidism rates were 2.5% and 3.3% in the CT and TT groups, respectively. There was no difference between the two groups in terms of total numbers of parathyroid glands autotransplanted (p=0.63) or present in the specimen (p=0.26).

CONCLUSIONS

Completion thyroidectomy is a safe and appropriate option in the management of select cases of WDTC in which a definitive preoperative or intraoperative diagnosis is not available. But it requires a longer hospitalization, so it has implications for both hospital resources and the patients involved.

Surgical Treatment of Solitary Thyroid Nodules Via Fine-Needle Aspiration Biopsy and Frozen-Section Analysis

BACKGROUND

Fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) and frozen-section analysis of managing solitary thyroid nodules continue to generate considerable controversy.

METHODS

This study was a retrospective review of 619 patients with solitary thyroid nodules who underwent thyroidectomy.

RESULTS

Of 540 FNABs, 35 (6.5%) were positive for malignancy, 276 (51.1%) were benign, and 229 (42.4%) were suspicious. Only 5.1% were false negative, and 11.4% were false positive. Diagnostic FNAB sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy for malignancy were 86.1%, 59.7%, 33.0%, 94.9%, and 64.6%, respectively. Of 569 patients analyzed by frozen section, diagnosis was deferred in 86 (15.1%) patients, and results were positive for malignancy in 92 (16.2%) and benign in 391 (68.7%). No false-positive results were noted, but 2.3% (391) were false negative. Of 86 deferred frozen sections, 11 (12.8%) patients had malignant tumors confirmed by permanent section. Diagnostic frozen-section sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy for carcinoma were 82.1%, 100%, 100%, 95.8%, and 96.5%, respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy for frozen-section analysis for diagnosis of carcinoma in patients with suspicious FNAB were 83.9%, 100%, 100%, 94.9%, and 96.0%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

FNAB is a sensitive diagnostic modality in selecting patients who require surgery. Routine use of frozen-section analysis is unwarranted for benign FNAB results. Frozen section is specific and cost-effective in determining the extent of surgery in patients with suspicious or malignant FNABs.

Pre-ablative Diagnostic Whole-body Scan Following Total Thyroidectomy for Well-differentiated Thyroid Cancer: Is It Necessary?

OBJECTIVE

This study reviewed the incidence of positive pre-ablative diagnostic scan after total thyroidectomy and the efficacy of the current ablative dose. The predictive factors for outcome using a standard ablative dose and postoperative complications of total thyroidectomy were also examined.

METHODS

This was a retrospective review of patients referred for radioiodine ablation after total thyroidectomy between September 1997 and September 2001.

RESULTS

Forty patients were included in this study, of whom 95% had a positive scan after total thyroidectomy. Of the 30 patients who underwent standard 80-mCi radioiodine ablation, 21 (70%) had successful single ablation while the remaining nine patients needed a higher ablative dose. There were no significant differences between patients who had successful ablation with the standard dose and those who did not in terms of tumour size, patient age, lymph node status and extra-thyroidal extension. Fifteen percent suffered from permanent hypoparathyroidism requiring calcium supplementation. Three patients had documented recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis.

CONCLUSION

Bypassing the pre-ablative diagnostic scan is feasible. The present ablation dose of 80 mCi of radioiodine is effective. The relatively high postoperative morbidity after difficult total thyroidectomy suggests less aggressive excision and postoperative radioiodine ablation of the remnant tissue.

[Consequences of the persistence of large thyroid remnants after bilateral thyroidectomy for differentiated thyroid cancer]

Twenty-three patients submitted to thyroidectomy and before ablative therapy and with cervical uptake >10% were compared to 48 patients with uptake <2%. All but 3 patients with large remnants reached TSH levels >30 mIU/l after thyroxin withdrawal. Cervical pain requiring anti-inflammatory treatment after radioiodine was more frequent in patients with larger remnants (34.7% vs. 10.4%). Remnant ablation was successful in 56% of the individuals with uptake >10% and in 93.3% of those with uptake <2%. The sensitivity of diagnostic scanning for pulmonary metastases was similar (71.4% vs. 77.7%). The specificity of stimulated thyroglobulin at a cut-off of 5 ng/ml was 100% for patients with discrete remnants but only 37.5% for the others. We conclude that significant thyroid remnants (cervical uptake >10%) result in a lower efficacy of ablation, cause more local symptoms after radioiodine, and compromise the specificity of thyroglobulin measurements.

Tratamento do microcarcinoma de tireóide

Avaliamos, retrospectivamente, a recorrência, presença de metástases distantes e mortalidade em 78 pacientes com microcarcinoma papilífero seguidos durante 6,8 anos, em média. Dos 56 pacientes com tumor unifocal sem metástases, nenhum apresentou recorrência, independente do tratamento (22 loboistmectomia, 11 tireoidectomia total sem ablação e 23 com ablação). O mesmo ocorreu nos 15 casos de tumor multicêntrico restrito à tireóide e tratados com tireoidectomia total e radioiodo. Dos 7 casos com metástases na apresentação inicial e submetidos a cirurgia extensa e terapia ablativa, recorrência cervical ocorreu em apenas 1 paciente. A presença de anticorpos anti-tireoglobulina foi mais comum após a lobectomia (22,7% vs. 9%) e a especificidade da tireoglobulina (Tg) ficou comprometida com este procedimento, mas não nos pacientes com tireoidectomia total sem ablação. Observou-se dois casos de hipoparatireoidismo definitivo no gruposubmetido à tireoidectomia total (3,5%) e nenhum com lobectomia. O presente estudo concorda que a loboistmectomia pode ser suficiente para o tratamento do microcarcinoma papilífero único restrito à tireóide. No entanto, a especificidade da Tg no seguimento fica comprometida. Para tumores multicêntricos ou com linfonodos acometidos, recomenda-se a tireoidectomia total, mas o uso rotineiro da radioiodoterapia é controvertido.

[Second hemithyroidectomy for thyroid carcinoma. Our experience]

Carcinomas as casual findings can be found in thyroid surgery. After the definitive AP result of malignant pathology, if a partial technique was performed, we can face problem of completing or not to a total thyroidectomy. We are reporting our 12 years experience about reinterventions because a diagnosis of thyroid carcinoma (hemithyroidectomies on previous one) was made after an anatomopathologic (AP) study on a sample from the first surgery for a supossed benign pathology. 18 patients have been studied, all of them were women, 45 year-old average and we have analysed the initial symptoms, results of basical complementary tests, diagnosis AP for first surgery and final result for second one. The incidence of malignancy showed in our series after the second intervention was 40% so we feel that a total thyroidectomy must be performed after a casual finding of thyroid carcinoma, because this allows oncological safety and a better control of the patient.

Safety of completion thyroidectomy following unilateral lobectomy for well-differentiated thyroid cancer

OBJECTIVES

When a diagnosis of thyroid cancer is returned following unilateral lobectomy, removal of the contralateral lobe is frequently necessary. Morbidity for completion thyroidectomy includes a reported 2% to 5% risk of recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injury and an 8% to 15% incidence of hypoparathyroidism. In this study, to determine morbidity following completion thyroidectomy, we reviewed our results of reoperative surgery among patients with thyroid cancer.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective chart review.

METHODS

Between 1997 and 2000, 36 consecutive patients, 32 females and 4 males, with a mean age of 43.6 years (range, 19-59 y), underwent completion thyroidectomy. Preoperative fine-needle aspiration revealed follicular derived neoplasm in 32 patients (88.9%), indeterminate in 3 patients (8.3%), and Hürthle cell neoplasm in 1 patient (2.8%). The interval between the first and second operation was a mean of 43.3 days (range, 2-103 d).

RESULTS

At the primary surgery, 29 patients (80.6%) had a follicular variant of papillary carcinoma, 6 (16.7%) had follicular carcinoma, and 1 (2.8%) had Hürthle cell carcinoma. Of these, 14 had multifocal disease. In the completion lobe, 20 patients (55.6%) had evidence of thyroid carcinoma. There was a 0% incidence of RLN injury, and the mean pre- and post-completion thyroidectomy serum calcium was 8.9 mg/dL and 8.6 mg/dL, respectively. There was one postoperative hematoma, requiring re-exploration. Five patients (13.9%) had a transient postoperative serum calcium (Ca) <8.0 mg/dL, with one being symptomatic. None required vitamin D or prolonged calcium supplementation.

CONCLUSIONS

When completion thyroidectomy is necessary for the treatment of thyroid malignancy, the procedure can be performed safely with low morbidity and is effective for diagnosing and removing occult disease in the remaining thyroid.

Advantages of recurrent laryngeal nerve identification in thyroidectomy and parathyroidectomy and the importance of preoperative and postoperative laryngoscopic examination in more than 1000 nerves at risk

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS

Recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy (RLNP) is a major obstacle in thyroid and parathyroid surgery. Therefore, methods that reduce the number of temporary and, especially, permanent recurrent laryngeal nerve palsies are of great interest. One promising way to ensure the integrity of the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) is to identify the nerve always. The first question raised in the present study was whether RLN preparation reduces the number of recurrent laryngeal nerve palsies or whether it introduces additional risks. Second, from former cases we know that the absence of postoperative hoarseness does not exclude RLNP, nor does postoperative hoarseness exclusively imply RLNP. Besides, misdiagnosis is not uncommon. Therefore, preoperative and postoperative laryngoscopic examination was given attention.

STUDY DESIGN

Patients were investigated 1 to 7 days before and 3 to 7 days after surgery. When an RLNP was identified, patients were followed up in a 2-week rhythm the first few times and every 6 to 8 weeks thereafter until RLNP resolved or it was considered permanent after 2 years.

METHODS

We prospectively investigated 608 surgical patients with 1080 nerves at risk. Because different diseases might have different rates of postoperative RLNP, we analyzed benign thyroid disease (680 nerves at risk), thyroid malignoma (321 nerves at risk), and hyperparathyroidism (79 nerves at risk) separately. Patients undergoing primary surgery (no prior thyroid surgery) and secondary interventions (there were one or more thyroid operations before this intervention) were evaluated separately.

RESULTS

We found 3.4%, 7.2%, and 2.5% of temporary recurrent laryngeal nerve palsies per nerve in the benign thyroid disease, thyroid malignoma, and hyperparathyroidism groups, respectively. The prevalence of recurrent laryngeal nerve palsies in these groups was 0.3%, 1.2%, and 0%, respectively. Conforming with other studies, the total number of recurrent laryngeal nerve palsies (temporary and permanent) was not increased compared with cases with no RLN preparation, whereas the number of permanent recurrent laryngeal nerve palsies was markedly reduced. An RLN was always identifiable. Astonishingly, the restitution of an RLNP was up to 2 years in duration; however, most restitutions occurred within the first 6 months. Thirty cases of hoarseness appeared or were intensified after surgery and were not caused by RLNP. Eleven cases of postoperative RLNP had no detectable hoarseness.

CONCLUSIONS

Besides indirect laryngoscopy, videostroboscopy should be performed in all cases with no evident bilateral normal laryngeal function or normal voice. Otherwise, the incidence of false-positive or false-negative diagnosis of RLNP is likely to be increased.

Conservative management of patients with intrathyroidal well-differentiated follicular thyroid carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Total or near-total thyroidectomy for the treatment of follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC). The prognosis of patients with low-risk FTC, however, is excellent, and thus total thyroidectomy may not be justifiable in such patients.

METHODS

A retrospective review identified 61 patients diagnosed with intrathyroidal well-differentiated FTC between 1958 and 1991.

RESULTS

Median age at diagnosis was 42 years (range, 15-78 years). Most patients (90.2%) had a lobectomy or subtotal thyroidectomy. Median tumor size was 3.0 cm (range, 0.9-9.5 cm). Fifty-eight patients (95.1%) received thyroid hormone supplementation, and 5 (8.2%) received radioactive iodine ablation postoperatively. Median follow-up was 11 years (range, 3-35 years). Local recurrence, metastasis, or both developed in 3 patients (4.9%), and all subsequently died of thyroid cancer. The cumulative 10- and 15-year cancer-specific survival rate was 96.5%. Factors significantly related to worse survival were oxyphilic histology (log-rank, P =.00) and tumor size of more than 4 cm (P =.001). However, neither was found to be an independent predictor of outcome by Cox multivariate analyses (P =.7 and.9, respectively). The extent of initial operation (unilateral versus bilateral procedure) was not significantly related to survival (P =.52).

CONCLUSION

Conservative management consisting mainly of lobectomy or subtotal thyroidectomy and thyroid hormone supplementation is associated with favorable outcome of patients with intrathyroidal well-differentiated FTC.

Long-term outcome of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma: effect of therapy

OBJECTIVE

To present an overview of current therapeutic practices and results in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma.

METHODS

Personal series of patients and selected studies reported in the literature are reviewed relative to outcome (tumor recurrence and cancer-related mortality) after treatment of differentiated thyroid cancer.

RESULTS

In the United States, thyroid carcinoma ranks 14th in incidence among the major malignant tumors. Although many factors influence the long-term outcome with papillary and follicular thyroid carcinoma, the patient's age at the time of diagnosis, tumor stage, and initial treatment are the most important. The risk of death from thyroid cancer becomes substantially greater after age 40 years and increases dramatically after 60 years of age. Tumor recurrence is more prevalent before age 20 and after age 60 years. Delay in therapy for more than a year after initial manifestation also has been shown to have an adverse effect on outcome. The optimal initial treatment is usually near-total thyroidectomy and surgical excision of extrathyroidal tumor, when possible. For complete ablation of residual thyroid tissue, radioactive iodine therapy is usually necessary and should be followed by thyroid hormone suppression of serum thyrotropin concentrations. A schedule of 6-month follow-up intervals is recommended, until the serum thyroglobulin is undetectable and 131I whole-body scanning shows no uptake in the neck or extrathyroidal sites.

CONCLUSION

An aggressive approach to management of differentiated thyroid carcinoma is likely to render about 90% of patients permanently free of disease.

An overview of the management of papillary and follicular thyroid carcinoma

Long-term survival rate for papillary and follicular carcinoma is more than 90%, but this varies considerably among subsets of patients. About 30% of patients, however, develop tumor recurrence, depending on the initial therapy. Two-thirds of the recurrences occur within the first decade after therapy, but the others may appear years later. We found that among patients with recurrent cancer, 30% could not be fully eradicated and another 15% died of disease. Tumor recurred outside the neck in 21% of our patients, most commonly in the lungs (63%), which resulted in death in about half the patients. Mortality rates are lower when recurrences are detected early by radioiodine scans rather than by clinical signs. We believe that the best treatment for most patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma is near-total thyroidectomy followed by 131I ablation of the thyroid remnant, which in our experience reduces the recurrence rate, improves survival and facilitates follow-up. A long delay in initiating this therapy has an adverse and independent effect on prognosis, more than doubling the 30-year cancer mortality rate. If only partial lobectomy has been performed, it is best to consider completion thyroidectomy for lesions 1 cm or larger because of the high rate of residual carcinoma in the contralateral lobe. Completion thyroidectomy and 131I whole-body scanning allows for the diagnosis and treatment of unrecognized carcinoma and when performed early, results in significantly fewer lymph node and hematogenous recurrences and enhances survival. A large and growing number of studies demonstrates decreased recurrence of papillary carcinoma and decreased disease-specific mortality attributable to 131I therapy. On the basis of our observations and other studies, we believe that an aggressive approach to initial management and follow-up may render nearly 90% of the patients permanently free of disease. Periodic follow-up should be done with whole-body scanning and serum thyroglobulin (Tg) measurements, performed either during thyroid hormone withdrawal or by recombinant human thyrotropin (TSH)-stimulated scanning and Tg measurement. A scheme for follow-up management is presented.