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Thyroidectomy for Benign thyroid Goitre

INDICATION 

A thyroidectomy may be appropriate for people who have a thyroid tumor, thyroid nodules or hyperthyroidism, which occurs when the thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone. Hyperthyroidism can be the result of an autoimmune problem, too much iodine in the diet, a benign tumor in the pituitary gland, too much thyroid medication, a swelling (goiter) in the thyroid gland or an inflammatory process. 

RECOVERY PHASE 

In some cases, patients return home the same day as the surgery, but some people spend the night in the hospital. There, the team can observe the patient and monitor calcium levels in the blood.When the thyroid gland is surgically removed, the body still requires thyroid hormone to keep vital functions in balance. Thyroid hormone replacement therapy involves taking synthetic or naturally derived thyroid hormones in pill form. 

 FAQs 

  • What will be my physical restrictions following surgery? 

Most surgeons prefer that patients limit extreme physical activities following surgery for a few days or weeks. This is primarily to reduce the risk of a postoperative neck hematoma (blood clot) and breaking of stitches in the wound closure. These limitations are brief, usually followed by a quick transition back to unrestricted activity. Normal activity can begin on the first postoperative day. Vigorous sports, such as swimming, and activities that include heavy lifting should be delayed for at least ten days to 2 weeks. 

  • Will i need to take a thyroid pill after my operation? 

The answer to this depends on how much of the thyroid gland is removed. If half (hemi) thyroidectomy is performed, there is an 80% chance you will not require a thyroid pill UNLESS you are already on thyroid medication for low thyroid hormone levels (e.g. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis) or have evidence that your thyroid function is on the lower side in your thyroid blood tests. If you have your entire gland removed (total thyroidectomy) or if you have had prior thyroid surgery and now are facing removal of the remaining thyroid (completion thyroidectomy) then you have no internal source of thyroid hormone remaining and you will definitely need lifelong thyroid hormone replacement. 

  • How much of my thyroid glands need to be removed? 

For patients with papillary or follicular thyroid cancer, many, but not all, surgeons recommend total or neartotal thyroidectomy when they believe that subsequent treatment with radioactive iodine might be necessary. For patients with larger (>1.5 cm) or more invasive cancers and for patients with medullary thyroid cancer, local lymph node dissection may be necessary to remove possibly involved lymph node metastases. 

A hemithyroidectomy may be recommended for overactive solitary nodules or for benign onesided nodules that are causing local symptoms such as compression, hoarseness, shortness of breath or difficulty swallowing. A total or near – total thyroidectomy may be recommended for patients with Graves’ Disease or for patients with large multinodular goiters. 

  • Are there other means of treatment? 

Surgery is definitely indicated to remove nodules suspicious for thyroid cancer. In the absence of a possibility of thyroid cancer, there may be nonsurgical options for therapy depending on your diagnosis. You should discuss other options for treatment with your physician who has expertise in thyroid diseases. 

  •  What are the risks of the operation? 

Bleeding in the hours right after surgery that could lead to acute respiratory distress; 

injury to a recurrent laryngeal nerve that can cause temporary or permanent hoarseness, and possibly even acute respiratory distress in the very rare event that both nerves are injured; 

damage to the parathyroid glands that control calcium levels in the blood, leading to temporary, or more rarely, permanent hypoparathyroidism and hypocalcemia. 

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