Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat It IsPurposeHow to PrepareWhat to ExpectRecoveryLong-Term Care
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What It Is
Purpose
How to Prepare
What to Expect
Recovery
Long-Term Care
Thyroid surgery (thyroidectomy) involves the removal of some or all of thethyroid gland. This operation may be done to treat a number of diseases and conditions, includingthyroid cancer, symptomaticgoiter, or a thyroid gland that is producing excessive thyroid hormone (hyperthyroidism).
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. While a partial thyroidectomy may not impact this, total removal of the thyroid means you will need lifelong hormone treatment to maintain these functions.
3:15
What Is a Thyroidectomy?
There are different kinds of thyroid surgery, and the type chosen depends on the reason you are having it done:
Regardless of the type, thyroid surgery is typically a scheduled inpatient procedure performed in a hospital. Less commonly, it may be performed on an outpatient basis in a surgical center.
Research suggests that in the right circumstances—for example, the patient has support at home during recovery and lives within a reasonable distance from a hospital—outpatient thyroid surgery may be just as safe as inpatient thyroid surgery.
Surgical Techniques
There are three surgical techniques that may be used to perform thyroid surgery:
Finding a Top Thyroid Surgeon
Contraindications
Contraindications to thyroid surgery include:
Potential Risks
Verywell / Brianna Gilmartin
Specific risks associated with thyroid surgery include:
The Risks of Having Surgery
Purpose of Thyroid Surgery
The purpose of thyroid surgery is to eradicate cancer (or a possible malignancy) or reduce the symptoms and impact of a thyroid condition.
Specific indications for thyroid surgery vary from surgeon to surgeon. That said, common ones include:
When thyroid surgery is being considered, various tests will be performed including a bloodthyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)test and ablood calcium level.Thyroid ultrasoundimages and/orfine-needle aspiration (FNA)biopsy reports will also be evaluated.
With a diagnosis of thyroid cancer, imaging tests like acomputed tomography (CT) scanof the chest are generally performed to determine if the cancer has spread.
Since thyroid surgery may result in injury or trauma to the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN), some surgeons also perform a routinelaryngoscopyto evaluate for any baseline vocal cord problems.
Overall, these tests help the surgeon confirm the need for surgery and guide their surgical approach or technique.
When thyroid surgery is scheduled, various pre-operative tests for medical and anesthesia clearance will need to be run.
Such tests include:
Once you are scheduled for thyroid surgery, your surgeon will give you instructions on how to best prepare.If you have any questions, be sure to ask them, as not complying with certain recommendations may impact whether or not your surgery can take place on the day it is scheduled.
Location
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. It may or may not need to be discontinued prior to surgery, depending on the reason you are taking it.
To help prevent surgical complications, it’s essential to inform your surgeon of all of the drugs you are taking including prescription and over-the-counter medications, dietary supplements, herbal remedies, and recreational drugs.
What to Wear and Bring
Since you will change into a hospital gown upon arrival at the hospital or surgical center, it’s sensible to wear loose-fitting clothes that are easy to remove. Leave all valuables, including jewelry, at home.
Make sure you bring your driver’s license, insurance card, and a list of your medications.
If you are staying overnight in the hospital, you will want to pack a bag the night before your surgery. In addition to personal care items (like a toothbrush) and comfort items (like a book), be sure to pack:
What to Pack for the Hospital
Pre-Op Lifestyle Changes
Getting regular aerobic exercise before surgery can help you recover faster and easier. Check with your surgeon to see if this is appropriate for you.
If you drink alcohol, be sure to have a candid conversation with your surgeon about how much you drink. You will want to try and stop drinking alcohol once your thyroid surgery is scheduled.
Watch out for and tell your healthcare provider if you develop any symptoms of alcohol withdrawal as you stop drinking (e.g., nausea, increased anxiety, or insomnia). These symptoms need to be treated to prevent severe complications like seizures.
If you smoke, quitting even a few days before surgery can help prevent surgical complications (though sooner is, of course, better). Your surgeon may be able to refer you to asmoking cessation programto help you during this process.
10 Things to Tell Your Surgeon Before Surgery
What to Expect on the Day of Surgery
On the day of your thyroid surgery, you will arrive at the hospital or surgical center and check-in.
Before the Surgery
Next, you will be taken to a pre-operative room where you will change out of your clothes into a hospital gown. A nurse will then review your medication list, record yourvitals, and place an intravenous (IV) line for administering fluids and medications into a vein in your arm.
Your surgeon will come to greet you and briefly review the operation. From there, you will be wheeled into the operating room on a gurney where the anesthesia process and surgery will start.
During the Surgery
Thyroid surgery takes around two to three hours and may be performed under regional or general anesthesia.
Once you are asleep, a surgical assistant will place inflatable compression devices on your legs to help prevent post-operativeblood clots. You may also receive a dose of an intravenoussteroidto help reduce hoarseness, nausea, and vomiting after surgery (which is common).
While the exact surgical flow depends on the surgical technique/approach used, you can generally expect the following steps:
After the Surgery
In the recovery room, a nurse will monitor your vital signs and help you manage common post-operative symptoms like nausea or pain.
Once you are fully awake and alert (around six hours post-op), you will be discharged home (if an outpatient surgery) or wheeled to a hospital room (if an inpatient surgery).
Most patients who stay in the hospital do so for around 24 hours after their operation.
As you recover at home or in the hospital, you can expect the following:
Activity
You will have specific activity guidelines to follow after surgery, such as:
Medications and Supplements
Your surgeon will ask that you take certain medications or vitamins after surgery.
When to Seek Medical AttentionCall your surgeon if you experience any of the following symptoms:Fever or chillsWarmth, or increased redness/swelling/discomfort around your incision site(s)Discharge from your incision site(s)Numbness and tingling around your lips, fingers, or toesIf you experience signs of bleeding in your neck, such as trouble breathing, a high-pitched voice, or increasing swelling in your neck, seek emergency medical attention.
When to Seek Medical Attention
Call your surgeon if you experience any of the following symptoms:Fever or chillsWarmth, or increased redness/swelling/discomfort around your incision site(s)Discharge from your incision site(s)Numbness and tingling around your lips, fingers, or toesIf you experience signs of bleeding in your neck, such as trouble breathing, a high-pitched voice, or increasing swelling in your neck, seek emergency medical attention.
Call your surgeon if you experience any of the following symptoms:
If you experience signs of bleeding in your neck, such as trouble breathing, a high-pitched voice, or increasing swelling in your neck, seek emergency medical attention.
You can expect to follow-up with your surgeon about one to two weeks after surgery.
During this appointment, your surgeon will do the following:
After the initial follow-up visit with your surgeon, anendocrinologistwill probably take over your care. Your endocrinologist will continue to monitor your blood thyroid and calcium levels.
Calcium andvitamin Dsupplements are usually discontinued once your parathyroid hormone function returns. If you had your whole thyroid gland removed, you will need to keep taking thyroid hormone replacement medication forever.
If you have thyroid cancer, long-term follow-up with thyroglobulin blood tests is regularly done to check for recurring cancer.
Scar Care
In addition to following up with your healthcare team and taking your medications/supplements as prescribed, you will want to care for your thyroid scar after surgery.
catinsyrup / Getty Images
If your scar is still bothering you cosmetically, talk with your healthcare provider. They may recommend silicone sheets or gel, available at a drugstore, that can help reduce the appearance of scars. Less commonly, laser or steroid injections are used to improve the appearance of scars.
How to Prevent or Minimize Surgery Scars
Possible Future Surgeries/Therapies
Finally, another operation on the thyroid gland may be indicated if thyroid cancer recurs.
A Word From Verywell
Your thyroid gland plays a crucial role in your body, so removing it is a significant undertaking. In order to be healthy and feel well after surgery, be sure to adhere to your surgeon’s post-operative instructions and attend all of your follow-up appointments.
Also, as you navigate the physical and emotional challenges that come along with thyroid surgery, do not hesitate to reach out to loved ones for support. 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.
4:47
11 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.About Your Thyroid Surgery.Lee, D., Chin, C., Heng, C., Perera, S., and I. Witterick.Outpatient Versus Inpatient Thyroidectomy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Head and Neck.2018. 40(1):192-202.Tae K, Jo YB, Song CM, Ryu J.Robotic and Endoscopic Thyroid Surgery: Evolution and Advances.Clin Exp Otorhinolaryngol.2019 Feb; 12(1): 1–11. doi:10.21053/ceo.2018.00766Ross DS, Sugg SL.Surgical management of hyperthyroidism. Cooper, DS ed. UpToDate. 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.Worni M, Schudel HH, Seifert E. et al.Randomized controlled trial on single dose steroid before thyroidectomy for benign disease to improve postoperative nausea, pain, and vocal function.Ann Surg2008 Dec;248(6):1060-6. doi:10.1097/SLA.0b013e31818c709aMedical College of Wisconsin. 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.
11 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.About Your Thyroid Surgery.Lee, D., Chin, C., Heng, C., Perera, S., and I. Witterick.Outpatient Versus Inpatient Thyroidectomy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Head and Neck.2018. 40(1):192-202.Tae K, Jo YB, Song CM, Ryu J.Robotic and Endoscopic Thyroid Surgery: Evolution and Advances.Clin Exp Otorhinolaryngol.2019 Feb; 12(1): 1–11. doi:10.21053/ceo.2018.00766Ross DS, Sugg SL.Surgical management of hyperthyroidism. Cooper, DS ed. UpToDate. 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.Worni M, Schudel HH, Seifert E. et al.Randomized controlled trial on single dose steroid before thyroidectomy for benign disease to improve postoperative nausea, pain, and vocal function.Ann Surg2008 Dec;248(6):1060-6. doi:10.1097/SLA.0b013e31818c709aMedical College of Wisconsin. 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.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.About Your Thyroid Surgery.Lee, D., Chin, C., Heng, C., Perera, S., and I. Witterick.Outpatient Versus Inpatient Thyroidectomy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Head and Neck.2018. 40(1):192-202.Tae K, Jo YB, Song CM, Ryu J.Robotic and Endoscopic Thyroid Surgery: Evolution and Advances.Clin Exp Otorhinolaryngol.2019 Feb; 12(1): 1–11. doi:10.21053/ceo.2018.00766Ross DS, Sugg SL.Surgical management of hyperthyroidism. Cooper, DS ed. UpToDate. 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.Worni M, Schudel HH, Seifert E. et al.Randomized controlled trial on single dose steroid before thyroidectomy for benign disease to improve postoperative nausea, pain, and vocal function.Ann Surg2008 Dec;248(6):1060-6. doi:10.1097/SLA.0b013e31818c709aMedical College of Wisconsin. 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.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.About Your Thyroid Surgery.
Lee, D., Chin, C., Heng, C., Perera, S., and I. Witterick.Outpatient Versus Inpatient Thyroidectomy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Head and Neck.2018. 40(1):192-202.
Tae K, Jo YB, Song CM, Ryu J.Robotic and Endoscopic Thyroid Surgery: Evolution and Advances.
Clin Exp Otorhinolaryngol.2019 Feb; 12(1): 1–11. doi:10.21053/ceo.2018.00766
Ross DS, Sugg SL.Surgical management of hyperthyroidism. Cooper, DS ed. UpToDate. 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.
Worni M, Schudel HH, Seifert E. et al.Randomized controlled trial on single dose steroid before thyroidectomy for benign disease to improve postoperative nausea, pain, and vocal function.Ann Surg2008 Dec;248(6):1060-6. doi:10.1097/SLA.0b013e31818c709a
Medical College of Wisconsin. 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.
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
