Thyroidectomy Surgery
Do you have a swelling in the front of your neck? Are you facing trouble swallowing and breathing because of it? It could be a swollen thyroid gland, and you may experience relief from removing the gland in a surgery called thyroidectomy. Thyroidectomy surgery is a prevalent surgery done around the world to treat people suffering from thyroid issues by excessive growth of the thyroid gland. Removal of the butterfly-shaped thyroid gland in these instances can help treat the medical and physical symptoms related to the thyroid gland.
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What is a Thyroidectomy?
Thyroidectomy or thyroid removal surgery is a head and neck surgery done to remove the thyroid gland because of certain medical conditions. General, ear, nose, throat, and head and neck surgeons do thyroidectomy. In the surgery, the surgeon may remove the whole of the thyroid gland, or the surgeon may remove a part of the thyroid gland.
What are the Types of Thyroid Gland Surgery?
Depending on the amount of thyroid tissue resected, thyroidectomy can be of different types:
- Total Thyroidectomy: The entire gland is removed.
- Near-total or sub-total Thyroidectomy: This involves removing a large part of the thyroid gland.
- Lobectomy: A thyroid gland lobe containing nodules and cysts.
- Isthumescetomy: Removal of the narrow tissue connecting the thyroid lobes.
Complications of Thyroid Surgery:
The following are some of the complications of thyroidectomy:
- Excessive bleeding from the site of the incision during or after the surgery.
- Infection at the site of surgery.
- Hypoparathyroidism due to removal of the thyroid-secreting gland.
- Vocal cord injury due to damaging of the recurrent laryngeal nerve, which can lead to hoarseness.
- Excessive scarring
- Allergic reactions to the medications or anesthesia
- Thyroid storm during the surgery wherein there is a sudden release of thyroid hormones.
- Formation of a hematoma due to internal bleeding
How to recover post Thyroidectomy Surgery?
The following tips may help you recover faster from a thyroid surgery :
- Take the prescribed medications on time
- Keep the surgical incision clean and dry
- Protect yourself from people who have respiratory tract infections or fever.
- Go for regular follow-ups with the doctor
- Eat a healthy and nutritious diet
- Notify the doctor on the development of any symptoms.
Procedure for Thyroid Gland Removal:
First, the doctor does a preliminary examination of the thyroid gland, takes history, and may recommend some tests and medications to confirm the diagnosis. Some of these tests can be as follows:
- Ultrasound of the neck
- Fine needle aspiration cytology
- MRI or CT of the neck
- x-ray of the neck
- ECG and 2D Echo.
- Blood tests such as TSH levels
Diagnosis of Thyroid Surgery:
Once the diagnosis is confirmed and removal of the mass is deemed necessary, the day and time of the surgery are fixed. The surgical and anesthetic fitness of the patient is determined, and the patient is taken up for surgery. The patient may be put on thyroid drugs before the surgery for a smoother operation and postoperative recovery. One may be admitted a day before the surgery and kept fasting from the night before.
During the surgery, anesthesia is started, and then the incision is made; the incision allows the separation or dissection of the structures in the neck to expose the thyroid gland. Once the gland is exposed, the other structures related to the thyroid gland are identified to make the thyroidectomy process much more accessible while avoiding injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve and parathyroid glands. Once the thyroid tissue is removed, the surgeon closes the incision with staples or sutures. Once the surgery is over, the patient may be shifted to the ICU for observation, sent to a regular room, and discharged.
Why Choose Medintu?
Medintu is a leading platform that dispenses medical care at affordable prices. We serve the metropolitan cities of Pune, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Chennai, Ahemadabad, and Kolkata with the best home-based care services such as home video consultation, home doctor visits, home sample collection and diagnostic tests, and even offline doctor appointments.
If you are advised thyroidectomy, choose from our network of experienced surgeons trained in minimally invasive thyroid surgery with the best results. Our team of thyroid surgeons works in hospitals with state-of-the-art technology to give the best thyroidectomy results. Book your appointment with Medintu today.
FAQs
Will I have to take thyroid medication even after thyroidectomy?
Yes. When removing the thyroid, replacing the thyroid hormone with an artificial thyroxine tablet is necessary to prevent the thyroid hormone-dependent body from being affected.
How long is a thyroidectomy?
The thyroid procedure may take 2-4 hours or even more, depending on the type of surgery and the complications acquired during it.
Is the scar post-thyroid surgery evident?
The thyroid surgery scar is in the front of the neck but is usually concealed by the surgeon under a skin crease, making it less visible.
Does the hoarseness post-thyroid surgery go away?
Usually, the hoarseness is due to irritation of the recurrent laryngeal nerve and goes away after a few days. If the recurrent laryngeal nerve is injured, the harness may persist, but it can be reduced after speech therapy.
What is the cost of thyroidectomy surgery in India?
The cost of thyroidectomy surgery in India is usually between 70 to 80,000. It depends on the patient’s condition, the type of surgery, the complications encountered during surgery, the doctor, the city, and so on.