The aim of this study is to expose the change in the access to thyroid gland operations during last 10–15 years when increasing radicality of the operations means any more specific complications in condition of routine detection and visualisation of recurrent laryngeal nerve and sparing of parathyroid glands. Authors analyse 458 patients with thyroid gland disease operated during years 2000–2004. Overall incidence of temporary and permanent paresis of recurrent laryngeal nerve was 2.5% and 1.5% respectively (nerves at risk). There was no permanent bilateral paresis in this study. Persistent hypoparathyroidism occurred after 0.2% of all the operations, and temporary hypoparathyroidism was noted in 10.7%. Results prove that even with increased radicality of performed operations the number of complications is in accordance with values quoted in world literature.

        Key words: total thyroidectomy – nerve at risk – complications of thyroidectomy