[Contralateral hemithyroidectomy due to carcinoma of the thyroid. Our cases reviewed and updated].

Objective: We are reporting our 14 years' experience with prior hemithyroidectomies or contralateral hemithyroidectomies after a pathology result reporting malignancy (thyroid carcinoma) in the first surgery.

Material And Method: Twenty female patients with an average age of 45 years old have been studied and we have analyzed the initial symptoms, results of complementary tests, pathology diagnosis following initial surgery, and final outcome after a second intervention.

Results: The incidence of malignancy shown in our series after secondary surgery was 40 % and the percentage of hemithyroidectomy on hemithyroidectomy was 3 % after operating on 650 thyroid glands.

Conclusions: Though opinions differ in the medical literature, we feel a total thyroidectomy must be performed after a casual finding of thyroid carcinoma because of the oncologically safer outcome and the better control of the patient.