Abstract
Before the nineteenth century, thyroidectomy was associated with significant mortality. However, with improved surgical technique and experience in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, it became increasingly safe; in the contemporary era, thyroidectomy is a common surgical procedure for both benign and malignant conditions, with near-zero mortality rates. However, significant morbidity can occur from thyroidectomy-specific complications, such as injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve and/or hypoparathyroidism. The incidence of these complications has been shown to be higher when surgery is performed for malignancy and/or by low-volume surgeons. This correlation between volume and outcomes has been well documented across multiple surgical subspecialties and a variety of procedures, including thyroidectomy. The improved outcomes observed when thyroidectomy is performed by a high-volume surgeon include not only decreased rates of complications but also improved oncologic resections with a resulting decreased risk for recurrence and reoperation.