St Petersburg University scientists are the only Russian doctors who made presentations at the Congress of the European Surgical Association
Kristina Vabalaite and Anatoly Romanchishen, professors of St Petersburg University, participated in the 28th Congress of the European Surgical Association. Scientists spoke about specifics of thyroid surgeries.
Doctors mentioned the most important standards for such surgeries. Among them are safety, bloodless manner, availability for patients, radicality — removal of the entire thyroid gland. According to the scientists, this approach helps to prevent relapses.
Leading surgeons of Italia, Czech Republic, France, Turkey, Portugal and Georgia also participated in the Congress.
Relapses of benign thyroid diseases are still one of the actual problems of endocrine surgery and oncology. It is quite common that benign tumour recurs sometime after removal of the organ. Unfortunately, according to doctors, sometimes it is the removal of a part of the organ that leads to the subsequent development of a malignant tumour and, in some cases, metastasis.
SPbU Professors Vabalaite and Romanchishen carried out a study that analysed medical records of 295 patients who relapsed after thyroid surgery.
Scientists have found that the most common reasons for undesirable effects are insufficient surgeries.
Until the 2000s, the removal of a part of the thyroid gland was considered a gold standard in treatment of thyroid diseases. Today, organ-preserving surgeries are performed less and less. Multiple studies and doctors’ experience have shown that a radical surgery (removal of the entire gland) is a safer for a patient.
Kristina Vabalaite, Professor of St Petersburg University
Removal of the entire organ means that functions of the gland performed in the patient’s body should be replaced with hormones. It is important to replace those hormones that are not produced naturally after surgery with the right therapy. ‘The absence of replacement therapy or its incorrect selection is another potential reason for undesirable effects after surgery’, noted Professor Anatoly Romanchishen.
Another finding of the scientists are that risks of relapses (including subsequent development of oncological diseases) are higher for those patients who have spread of disease to the lymph nodes, and people over the age of 55 are more likely to experience effects of diseases.