Treatment of a Problem

Thyroid surgery is an operation to remove part or all of the thyroid gland. It is limited to those patients who have potential problems based on pre-op tests. It is usually performed under general anesthesia. Usually, the operation removes the lobe of the thyroid gland containing the "lump", and the isthmus. The pathology assessment, both before and during the operation, will help determine if all of the thyroid gland should be removed. Sometimes, based on the operative findings, the surgeon may decide to stop and remove no more thyroid tissue, or proceed to remove the entire thyroid gland, and/or other tissue in the neck. This is a decision usually made in the operating room by the surgeon based on findings both and at the time of surgery. These options will be discussed by your surgeon with you preoperatively.

After surgery you may have a drain (a tiny piece) of plastic tubing inserted in the wound. This is removed if the fluid accumulation is minimal. However, most patients do not need a drain. Depending on your overall health status and the extent of the thyroid surgery, patients are discharged the day of surgery or one day after surgery.

Complications of thyroid surgery are rare. They include bleeding, a hoarse voice, difficulty swallowing, numbness of the skin on the neck, and low blood calcium. Most complications go away after a few weeks. Patients who have the entire thyroid gland removed have a higher risk of low blood calcium post-operatively.

Patients who have thyroid surgery may be required to take thyroid medication to replace thyroid hormones after surgery. Some patients may need to take a calcium supplement if their blood calcium is low. This will depend on how much thyroid gland remains, and what was found during surgery. In some cases where a malignant tumor is found, radioactive iodine therapy might be recommended after surgery. If you have any questions about thyroid surgery, ask your referring or VM Med doctor and he/she will answer them in detail.