Clinical Audit of Thyroid Surgery Complications at Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Osun State

Thyroid surgery including thyroidectomy and hemithyroidectomy carries well-recognised risks of complications such as recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, hypocalcaemia, and haematoma, and systematic audit of these complications is essential for quality improvement in Nigerian surgical centres. This study audits the incidence, types, and clinical management of thyroid surgery complications at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Osun State. A retrospective design is applied to endocrine surgery records and anaesthesia notes over a five-year period from 2018 to 2022. Variables include operative indication, extent of resection, surgeon grade, drain insertion, post-operative vocal cord assessment, serum calcium at 24 hours, and complication management outcome. SPSS is used for descriptive statistics. Available endocrine surgery literature from South West Nigeria identifies transient hypocalcaemia and temporary recurrent laryngeal nerve paresis as the most frequent complications, with rates closely linked to the extent of resection and surgeon experience. The Clavien-Dindo Surgical Complication Classification provides the grading framework. Findings will inform the unit's endocrine surgery audit committee on the implementation of systematic post-thyroidectomy vocal cord assessment and calcium monitoring protocols. Keywords: thyroid surgery, complications, recurrent laryngeal nerve, Osun State, South West Nigeria.