Thyroidectomy indications
The indications of thyroidectomy are -
- Thyroid cancer
- Metastases to the thyroid gland from the source of primary cancer
- Hyperthyroidism
- Goitre
- Suspicious thyroid nodules
Types of Thyroidectomy
The indications of thyroidectomy are -
- An open thyroid biopsy - A nodule is directly excised.
- A hemithyroidectomy or thyroid lobectomy - One lobe of the thyroid gland is removed
- Isthmusectomy - Excision of the bridge joining the two lobes together.
- Total or near-total thyroidectomy - excision of all or most of the part of the thyroid tissue.
Risks of thyroidectomy -
The thyroidectomy risks are as follows -
- You need to take off your clothing and wear a hospital gown.
- You will be asked to lie down on an operating room table.
- You will be given general anaesthesia to make you unconscious.
- Once unconscious, the surgeon makes an incision at the bottom and in the centre of the neck. Complete or only a part of the thyroid gland is excised, depending on the reason for the operative procedure.
- In the case of thyroid cancer, the surgeon may check and cut the lymph nodes around the thyroid.
- The thyroidectomy procedure takes nearly one to two hours.
Thyroidectomy procedure
The indications of thyroidectomy are -
- An open thyroid biopsy - A nodule is directly excised.
- A hemithyroidectomy or thyroid lobectomy - One lobe of the thyroid gland is removed
- Isthmusectomy - Excision of the bridge joining the two lobes together.
- Total or near-total thyroidectomy - excision of all or most of the part of the thyroid tissue.
Before the procedure
Before the surgery, you have to do some tests such as surgical blood tests and body scans as suggested by your doctor. This is done to know your overall general health.
The doctor will record your medical history and check if you have any bleeding problems, allergies,etc.
If you have hyperthyroidism, your healthcare provider will give you medicines like iodine and potassium solution. These medicines will control your thyroid function and reduce the chances of bleeding after the operation.
Your healthcare provider will give you separate instructions about surgery-related precautions like when to avoid eating and drinking before the surgery.
Before your planned operation, ask someone to help you get home after the procedure. Make sure to leave jewellery and other valuables at home.
During the procedure
- You need to take off your clothing and wear a hospital gown.
- You will be asked to lie down on an operating room table.
- You will be given general anaesthesia to make you unconscious.
- Once unconscious, the surgeon makes an incision at the bottom and in the centre of the neck. Complete or only a part of the thyroid gland is excised, depending on the reason for the operative procedure.
- In the case of thyroid cancer, the surgeon may check and cut the lymph nodes around the thyroid.
- The thyroidectomy procedure takes nearly one to two hours.
There are various methods for thyroidectomy, such as:
Conventional thyroidectomy
Conventional thyroidectomy involves making an incision in the middle of the neck to access the thyroid gland. This is a standard method.
Transoral thyroidectomy
Transoral thyroidectomyinvolves making an incision inside the mouth and not the neck.
Endoscopic thyroidectomy
Endoscopic thyroidectomy In this method, the surgeon uses smaller incisions in the neck. The incisions are used to insert surgical equipment and a small video camera. The camera guides the surgeon through the surgery.
After the procedure
After the thyroidectomy procedure, some patients may feel neck pain or irritation and a hoarse or weak voice. These symptoms are due to the breathing tube that is placed in the windpipe during the operation.
These are often short-term and may heal themselves after a few hours. After the operation, you would be able to eat and drink as usual.Depending on the surgery type and your general health, the doctor will decide how many days of hospital stay you need.
Thyroidectomy Care at Medicover Hospital
The indications of thyroidectomy are -
At Medicover Hopspitals, we are supported by a team of highly experienced surgeons and latest tools and technologies to perform thyroidectomy with great precision yielding highly successful results. Our surgeons, endocrine surgeons, and ENT surgeons will evaluate the condition and present a surgery plan to the patients to keep them informed.