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During thyroidectomy
Surgeons perform thyroidectomy using general anesthesia, so you're unconscious during the procedure. The anesthesiologist or anesthetist gives you an anesthetic medication as a gas — to breathe through a mask — or injects a liquid medication into a vein.
The surgical team places several monitors on your body to help make sure that your heart rate, blood pressure and blood oxygen remain at safe levels throughout the procedure. These monitors include a blood pressure cuff on your arm and heart-monitor leads attached to your chest.
Once you're unconscious, the surgeon makes a small incision in the front of your neck, and all or part of the thyroid gland is removed, depending on the reason for the surgery. If you're having thyroidectomy as a result of thyroid cancer, the surgeon may also examine and remove lymph nodes around your thyroid. Thyroidectomy usually takes several hours.
After thyroidectomy
After surgery, you're moved to a recovery room where the health care team monitors you for complications from the surgery and anesthesia. Once you're fully conscious, you'll be moved to a hospital room. You may have a drain under the incision in your neck. This drain is usually removed the morning after surgery.
You'll be able to eat and drink as usual after surgery. Your throat may be sore and your voice hoarse. Most people who have thyroidectomies remain in the hospital for about 24 hours. When you go home, you can usually return to your regular activities, often within a few weeks. Talk to your doctor about specific activity restrictions.
- Lal G, et al. Thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal. In: Brunicardi FC, et al. Schwartz's Principles of Surgery. 8th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Companies; 2005. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=817576. Accessed May 13, 2009.
- Thyroid surgery. American Thyroid Association. http://www.thyroid.org/patients/brochures/ThyroidSurgery.pdf. Accessed May 13, 2009.
- Busaidy NL, et al. Endocrine malignancies. In: Kantarjian HM, et al. MD Anderson Manual of Medical Oncology. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2797737. Accessed May 13, 2009.
- Tuttle RM. Surgical treatment of differentiated thyroid cancer. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 13, 2009.
- Lal G, et al. Endocrine surgery. In: Gardner DG, et al. Greenspan's Basic and Clinical Endocrinology. 8th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Companies; 2007. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2632048. Accessed May 13, 2009.
- Scheuller MC, et al. Malignant thyroid neoplasms. In: Lalwani AK. Current Diagnosis & Treatment in Otolaryngology — Head & Neck Surgery. 2nd ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Companies; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2829354. Accessed May 13, 2009.
- Graves' disease. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://www.endocrine.niddk.nih.gov/pubs/graves/. Accessed May 13, 2009.
- ATA hypothyroidism booklet. American Thyroid Association. http://www.thyroid.org/patients/brochures/Hypothyroidism%20_web_booklet.pdfAccessed May 20, 2009.
