THERAPEUTIC PLASMA EXCHANGE AS A BRIDGE TO TOTAL THYROIDECTOMY IN PATIENTS WITH SEVERE THYROTOXICOSIS

Abstract

Objective: Graves disease is the most common cause of thyrotoxicosis. Medical management is the first-line treatment but may be contraindicated or ineffective. In patients with severe, refractory thyrotoxicosis therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) may be indicated as a bridge to thyroidectomy.

Methods: We present 3 cases of thyrotoxicosis refractory to medical management that were successfully treated with TPE and subsequent total thyroidectomy, and provide an analysis of the response to therapy via a change in free thyroxine (fT4) levels throughout their treatment course.

Results: The average change in fT4 per liter of fluid exchanged was 0.37 ng/dL (SD = 0.08) and the average percentage change of fT4 after each treatment was 20.7% (SD = 8.28). The mean decrease in fT4 after 4 TPE treatments was 57.4%. All patients successfully underwent total thyroidectomy without complication and were discharged from the hospital.

Conclusion: TPE should be considered for thyrotoxic patients with severe hyperthyroidism or thyroid storm refractory to medical management or contraindications to antithyroid drugs who need a bridge to total thyroidectomy. In these cases, TPE was a safe and effective treatment that enabled definitive management with thyroidectomy and may be considered in other patients with severe refractory hyperthyroidism or thyrotoxicosis.

Fig. 1.

Measured free T4 levels during TPE treatment. T4 = thyroxine; TPE = therapeutic plasma exchange.