If Surgery Is Chosen for Treatment of TMNG or TA, How Should It Be Accomplished?
R39. If surgery is chosen as treatment for TMNG or TA, patients with overt hyperthyroidism should be rendered euthyroid prior to the procedure with methimazole pretreatment (in the absence of allergy to the medication), with or without beta-adrenergic blockade. Preoperative iodine should not be used in this setting. 1/+00
R40. If surgery is chosen as treatment for TMNG, near- total or total thyroidectomy should be performed. 1/++0
R41. Surgery for TMNG should be performed by a high-volume thyroid surgeon. 1/++0
R42. If surgery is chosen as the treatment for TA, an ipsilateral thyroid lobectomy, or isthmusectomy if the adenoma is in the thyroid isthmus, should be performed. 1/++0
R43. The task force suggests that surgery for TA be performed by a high-volume surgeon. 2/++0
R44. Following thyroidectomy for TMNG, the task force suggests that serum calcium or intact parathyroid hormone levels be measured, and that oral calcium and calcitriol supplementation be administered based on these results. 2/+00
R45. Methimazole should be stopped at the time of surgery for TMNG or TA. Beta-adrenergic blockade should be slowly discontinued following surgery. 1/+00
R46. Following surgery for TMNG, thyroid hormone replacement should be started at a dose appropriate for the patient's weight (0.8 µgram/lb or 1.7 µgram/kg) and age, with elderly patients needing somewhat less. TSH should be measured every 1–2 months until stable, and then annually. 1/+00
R47. Following surgery for TA, TSH and estimated free T4 levels should be obtained 4–6 weeks after surgery, and thyroid hormone supplementation started if there is a persistent rise in TSH above the normal range. 1/+00
R48. Radioactive iodine therapy should be used for retreatment of persistent or recurrent hyperthyroidism following inadequate surgery for TMNG or TA. 1/+00