Objective: This case-control study aimed to compare surgical complexities and postoperative outcomes between giant goiters and normal goiters in a South Asian population. The primary goal was to classify and quantify complications based on size, focusing on variables like operative time and postoperative complications. Study Design: Conducted at Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre, Karachi, over six months, from June 2022 to March 2023. Ethical approval was obtained, and the study involved 30 diagnosed giant goiter patients and 30 cases of normal goiters as controls. Place and Duration of Study: Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre, Karachi, within a twelve-month period from June 2022 to March 2023. Materials and Methods: Patients of all ages undergoing goiter surgery were included, with non-giant goiters as controls. Data collection used non-probability consecutive sampling. Surgeons performed preoperative workup, and intra/postoperative variables were analyzed using SPSS version 25.0. Results: Detailed findings included giant goiters presenting with a mean length of over 15cm, female dominance in both groups, and a higher mean age in giant goiters. Surgical indications were mainly compressive symptoms, with prevalent dyspnea. Few giant goiter cases had permanent hoarseness and transient hypocalcemia. Operative time, ICU stay, and hospital stay were notably higher in giant goiter cases. Conclusion: This study, unique in its South Asian focus, highlights the surgical intricacies of giant goiters. Findings underscore a scarcity of literature and provide a foundation for future comparative studies, potentially guiding specific management guidelines
Keywords: Giant goiter; Normal goiter; Surgical complications; South Asian population; Comparative study