Two-Stage Thyroidectomy Driven by Intraoperative Neuromonitoring: Informed Consent Process and Its Effect on Patient Willingness and Consent Rates

Purpose: Intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) of the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) is a useful technique that can be applied to assess the nerve functionality at the end of the first side lobectomy in a planned total resection to prevent the bilateral injury of the RLN. Here we describe the process of informed consent of patients, who were subjected to a 2-stage thyroidectomy, and its effect on the patients' willingness to be operated on as well as their consent rates. Methods: A retrospective observational study of patients, undergoing thyroidectomy with standardized IONM, was conducted from January 2019 to December 2019. All patients were preoperatively informed about the possibility of undergoing a 2-stage thyroidectomy. The outcome of this information was evaluated through a specific questionnaire that the patients were asked to fill in. Results: Eighty patients were initially included in the analysis. The treatment was discontinued in 8 patients, who were originally eligible to total thyroidectomy, due to the detection of a loss of signal in the electromyography. The analysis of the results of the questionnaires highlighted a high compliance of the patients with the expectation of a possible new intervention. Conclusion: Two-stage thyroidectomy proved to be a reliable surgical approach and appeared to be largely accepted by the patients.