This butterfly-shaped gland is located at the base of your neck in front of your windpipe (trachea).
It produces hormones that regulate your body’s metabolism and temperature.
What Is a Thyroidectomy?
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Less commonly, it may be performed on an outpatient basis in a surgical center.
Specific indications for thyroid surgery vary from surgeon to surgeon.
Overall, these tests help the surgeon confirm the need for surgery and guide their surgical approach or technique.
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When thyroid surgery is scheduled, various pre-operative tests for medical and anesthesia clearance will need to be run.
Your surgeon will probably ask that you arrive at least two hours early on the day of your operation.
You should pre-arrange to have someone drive you home when you have been discharged.
Food and Drink
Avoid eating or drinking after midnight on the eve of your surgery.
Medications
You will be advised to stop taking certain medications for a designated period of time.
For instance, most surgeons advise patients to stop takingnonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)a week before surgery.
Be sure to tell your surgeon if you are taking aspirin.
Leave all valuables, including jewelry, at home.
check that you bring your driver’s license, insurance card, and a list of your medications.
Check with your surgeon to see if this is appropriate for you.
You will want to try and stop drinking alcohol once your thyroid surgery is scheduled.
These symptoms need to be treated to prevent severe complications like seizures.
Your surgeon may be able to refer you to asmoking cessation programto help you during this process.
Your surgeon will come to greet you and briefly review the operation.
Most patients who stay in the hospital do so for around 24 hours after their operation.
Long-Term Care
you might expect to follow-up with your surgeon about one to two weeks after surgery.
Your endocrinologist will continue to monitor your blood thyroid and calcium levels.
Calcium andvitamin Dsupplements are usually discontinued once your parathyroid hormone function returns.
Less commonly, laser or steroid injections are used to improve the appearance of scars.
Finally, another operation on the thyroid gland may be indicated if thyroid cancer recurs.
Be open and talk frequently with your surgical team as well.
They are there to help guide you and make this process go as smoothly as possible.
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Waltham, MA: UpToDate.
University of Iowa Health Care.Thyroidectomy and Thyroid Lobectomy.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Thyroid Surgery at Johns Hopkins.
Columbia Thyroid Surgery.Thyroid Surgery.
Surgical Oncology.Before and After Thyroid Surgery.
American Thyroid Association.Care of the Surgical Incision.
American Cancer Society.Radioactive Iodine (Radioiodine) Therapy for Thyroid Cancer.
