Searchable abstracts of presentations at key conferences in endocrinology
Endocrine Abstracts (2014) 35 P1051 | DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.35.P1051

ECE2014 Poster Presentations Thyroid (non-cancer) (125 abstracts)

Postoperative monitoring and replacement therapy after resection of the thyroid gland

Nina Tkachuk & Viacheslav Bilookyi


Bukovinian State Medical University, Chernivtsi, Ukraine.


Introduction: The problem of postoperative hypothyroidism has the same long history as thyroid surgery. Levothyroxine monotherapy is the treatment of choice for hypothyroid patients because peripheral T4 to T3 conversion is supposed to account for the overall tissue requirement for thyroid hormones.

The aim of this retrospective study conducted in the hospital is to evaluate the effectiveness of levothyroxine monotherapy in patients undergoing thyroidectomy.

Materials and methods: The study included 42 patients after thyroidectomy with normal levels of TSH (1–3 mU/l) on the background of levothyroxine monotherapy (all of them were treated with 1.5 mg/kg per day dosage for at least 2 months); and 85 of them, with euthyroid, belonged to a control group. The determining of TSH, FT4 and FT3 in serum by immunochemical analysis has been conducted through 2 weeks, 1–2–6–12 months after surgery.

Results: The research revealed that while prescribing levothyroxine, the increase in the concentration of FT3 in the blood is slow and is reaches the desired parameter for full compensation of hypothyroidism only after 1–2 months. However, about 20% of levothyroxine-treated athyreotic patients FT4 levels were 5.6% higher and FT3 levels were 12% lower compared to the control group.

Conclusion: Therefore, levothyroxine monotherapy is effective compensation in most postoperative hypothyroid patients, but some of them need a more personal approach to replacement therapy, which can be achieved by means of postoperative monitoring.

Keywords: postoperative monitoring, replacement therapy, levothyroxine monotherapy.

Article tools

My recent searches

No recent searches.