Thyroid and Salivary Gland Surgeries
Why would you do it?
What does it involve?
The procedure usually involves removing all or a portion of the thyroid. A total thyroidectomy would involve removing the whole gland, whilst a lobectomy removes half. Sometimes an isthmusectomy is performed to remove only the central part of the gland.
The portion of the thyroid that is to be removed will depend on the nature and extent of the condition.
There are three main types of surgery. Conventional surgery involves making an incision in the neck through which all or the required portion of the thyroid is removed. Endoscopic thyroid surgery involves the use of an endoscope inserted through a small incision in the neck.
Recently robotic thyroidectomy has evolved permitting the operation to be performed through incisions in the chest, armpit or even through the mouth.
In all cases, thyroid gland surgery is usually undertaken with a general anaesthetic.
Post-operative care
In most cases, it is possible to leave the hospital after an overnight stay although hemithyroidectomy can occasionally be done as a day case. It is important to avoid putting strain on the neck for a week after the operation.
Neck pain and voice problems are not uncommon but usually resolve by themselves. In the case of a total thyroidectomy, where the whole thyroid gland is removed, the patient will need to take medication to compensate for the hormone usually produced by the gland itself. Post-operative calcium will also need to be monitored and temporary hypoparathyroidism can occur after a total procedure.
For a partial thyroidectomy, the remaining portion of the thyroid will often compensate for the entire gland in 70% of patients avoiding a need for thyroxine. Patients after thyroid surgery require an annual thyroid function test for life.