40: New Research Reveals Thyroid Surgery Errors 5x More Frequent Than Reported with Dr. Maria Papaleontiou from Michigan Medicine

I sometimes get asked, why am I doing this podcast? 

What started out as a pet project is now being listened to in over 30 countries and with as many as 20000 downloads per episode.  So far, thyroid patients are embracing the opportunity to hear from the world's leading thyroid doctors, and gaining the information needed to make better decisions related to health.

So why did I start Doctor Thyroid?

My motivation for doing this podcast is to help patients avoid bad experiences related to thyroid cancer and thyroid disease, including bad surgery.   And, provide resources to help make better health decisions and improve quality of life.

My thyroid surgery resulted in errors, which have downgraded my quality of life significantly.  Knowing what I know now, I would have picked a different surgeon, or chosen no surgery at all.  Because, as this interview will discuss, although perceived as safe, thyroid surgery is not without risks. 

To be published next month, new research reveals thyroid surgery errors are five times more likely than previously reported. 

The study was conducted by Dr. Maria Papaleontiou.  She is an Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine with an appointment in the Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes. She graduated medical school from the prestigious Charles University in the Czech Republic and subsequently spent several years conducting research at the Geriatrics Division at Weill Cornell Medical College. She then completed her internal medicine residency at Saint Peter's University Hospital in New Jersey and her endocrinology fellowship at the University of Michigan. She joined the faculty at the University of Michigan in 2013. She is a recipient of Fulbright and Howard Hughes Medical Institute scholarships.  Dr. Papaleontiou's practice focuses on thyroid disorders and thyroid cancer. She is especially interested in the treatment of endocrine disorders in older adults. She also conducts health services research in the field of thyroidology and aging.

NOTES

Dr. Maria Papaleontiou

Complications from thyroid cancer surgery more common than believed, study finds

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

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Dr. Ralph Tufano: Be Careful, Not All Surgeons Are Equal and Here is Why 

Dr. Gary Clayman: The Single Most Important Question to Ask Your Surgeon

Dr. Allen Ho: Rethinking Thyroid Cancer – When Saying No to Surgery Maybe Best for You