Thyroid gland removal is surgery to remove all or part of the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland is part of the endocrine system and plays a major role in regulating the body's metabolism.
Thyroidectomy is done while you are under general anesthesia (unconscious and pain-free). Sometimes it is done with regional anesthesia (awake, but pain-free). The surgeon makes a cut in the neck and locates the gland. All or part of the thyroid gland, depending on the particular procedure, is removed.
Thyroidectomy may be recommended for the following: The procedure may also be done if a patient with hyperthyroidism does not want to have radioactive iodine treatment and cannot be treated with anti-thyroid medications.
Risks for any anesthesia include the following:
Risks for any surgery include the following:
Additional risks for thyroidectomy include the following:
When performed by experienced endocrine surgeons, the outcome of thyroid surgery is usually excellent. Thyroid function tests may need to continue following thyroid surgery, and thyroid hormone replacement maybe necessary.
In general, patients recover rapidly from uncomplicated thyroid surgery. Most patients are able to resume most normal activities within 1-2 weeks.
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Reviewer Info: J.A. Lee, M.D., Assistant Professor of Surgery, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.; ADAM Health Illustrated Encyclopedia, 10/16/2006 |