Thyroid gland removal

Alternative Names: Total thyroidectomy; Partial thyroidectomy; Thyroidectomy; Subtotal thyroidectomy

Thyroid gland removal is surgery to remove all or part of the thyroid gland. Your thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped gland that lies over your trachea (the tube that carries air to your lungs). It is just below your voice box.

• Total thyroidectomy removes the entire gland.
• Subtotal or partial thyroidectomy removes part of the thyroid gland.

The thyroid gland is part of the endocrine system. It helps your body regulate your metabolism.

Description of Procedure

You will have general anesthesia (asleep and pain-free) for this surgery. Rarely, the surgery may be done with local anesthesia and medicine to relax you. You will be awake but pain-free.

Your surgeon may do the procedure through a surgical cut in your neck.

• Your surgeon will make a 3-inch to 4-inch cut in the middle of your neck, right on top of the thyroid gland. Then the surgeon will remove all or part of the gland.
• The surgery can also be done using a smaller surgical cut that is less than 2 inches long.
• Your surgeon will be very careful not to damage the blood vessels and nerves in your neck.
• Your surgeon may place a small tube (catheter) into the area to help drain blood and other fluids that build up. The drain will be removed in 1 or 2 days.
• Surgery to remove your whole thyroid may take up to 4 hours. It may take less time if only part of the thyroid is removed.

Risks of Thyroid gland removal

Risks from any anesthesia include:

• Reactions to medicines
• Breathing problems

Risks from any surgery include:

• Bleeding
• Infection

Risks for thyroid removal include:

• Injury to the nerves in your vocal cords and larynx. You may have problems reaching high notes when you sing, hoarseness, coughing, swallowing problems, or problems speaking. These problems may be mild or severe.
• Difficulty breathing. This is very rare. It almost always goes away several weeks or months after surgery.
• Bleeding and possible airway obstruction
• A sharp rise in thyroid hormone levels (only around the time of surgery)
• Injury to the parathyroid glands (small glands near the thyroid) or to their blood supply. This can cause temporary low levels of calcium in your blood (hypocalcemia).
• Too much release of thyroid hormone (thyroid storm). If you have an overactive thyroid gland, you will be treated with medicine.

Child thyroid anatomy	Thyroidectomy - series

Review Date: 5/6/2011
Reviewed By: Shabir Bhimji, MD, PhD, Specializing in General Surgery, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Midland, TX. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

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