ImportanceUse of intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) during thyroidectomy can nearly eliminate the risk of postoperative bilateral vocal cord palsy (VCP) by indicating staged surgery in cases of loss of signal (LOS) on the first side of planned total thyroidectomy. However, aborting planned total thyroidectomy may lead to persistence of symptoms, delay in adjuvant treatment, and patient inconvenience and distress. There are few data to guide a selective approach to total thyroidectomy in patients with first-side LOS.ObjectiveTo investigate outcomes of immediate bilateral surgery in patients undergoing total thyroidectomy with first-side LOS.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis cohort study was a retrospective review of outcomes for patients undergoing thyroidectomy between January 2016 and July 2023 at an academic tertiary referral center for thyroid surgery. Consecutive patients scheduled for total thyroidectomy using IONM were included. Exclusion criteria were preoperative VCP, deliberate sacrifice of recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN), inadvertent RLN resection, and surgery performed without IONM.ExposuresTotal thyroidectomy performed using IONM.Main Outcome MeasuresVocal mobility on first postoperative day as assessed by flexible laryngoscopy; secondary outcome measures included subjective voice assessment, other postoperative complications, and long-term vocal mobility.ResultsAmong 400 patients undergoing planned total thyroidectomy (mean age, 50.5 years [range, 4-88 years]; 318 female [79.5%]), 51 (12.8%) had first-side LOS, of whom 37 (9.3%) had persistent LOS. Twenty-nine patients (56% of procedures with first-side LOS, including 18 with persistent LOS) proceeded to immediate total thyroidectomy. Postoperatively, 16 patients (55% of patients undergoing total thyroidectomy following first-side LOS, including 14 of 18 with persistent LOS) had impaired vocal mobility. One patient had bilateral VCP that did not require tracheostomy, and 2 had postoperative hypoparathyroidism. Of those whose surgery was aborted after first-side LOS, 8 of 22 (36%) underwent completion thyroidectomy at a later stage. In those undergoing completion thyroidectomy, 2 of 8 (25%) had temporary VCP after the second surgery, 2 (25%) had permanent hypoparathyroidism, and 1 (12.5%) developed inoperable cancer. Postoperative VCP was fully reversible in all but 1 patient.Conclusion and RelevanceAmong patients planned for total thyroidectomy who develop first-side LOS, immediate total thyroidectomy may be considered among those who have pressing reasons for same, and where surgical difficulties might be anticipated in a secondary surgery.
