How long will I be in hospital after thyroid surgery?

After thyroid surgery, you will probably stay in hospital for one or two nights to recover from surgery. Your neck wound will be closed with stitches, adhesive strips or small clips. Your nursing team will talk to you about how to care for your surgical wound site once you go home to prevent it becoming infected.

How long does a patient stay in the hospital after thyroid surgery?

Most people are ready to return home within one day of surgery, but take off about two weeks from work to recover.

How long does thyroid surgery usually take?

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 one to two hours. It may take more or less time, depending on the extent of the surgery needed.

How long do you stay in the hospital for a thyroid?

Most patients come to the hospital on the morning of their surgery and the majority of patients go home the same day after a 4 hour observation period in the recovery room.

Is thyroid surgery painful?

Typically, there is not a lot of pain involved with thyroid and parathyroid surgery. Rarely narcotic pain medication will be required, but it will be available to you if needed. Most patients only need acetaminophen (Tylenol) for discomfort.

What to Expect After Thyroid Surgery - James Wu, MD

Will I gain weight after thyroid removal?

Patients with hyperthyroidism commonly experience weight gain after thyroidectomy. This occurs due to the reduction in circulating thyroid hormone, thus ameliorating the weight-lowering effects of elevated thyroid hormones (4,5).

Can you talk after thyroid surgery?

Your voice probably will be hoarse, and you may have trouble talking. For most people, these problems get better within 3 to 4 months, but it can take as long as a year. In some cases, this surgery causes permanent problems with chewing, speaking, or swallowing.

Is thyroid surgery Same day surgery?

Ambulatory thyroid surgery, defined as patient discharge to home on the same day as surgery, has become more common in the past decade. For highly selected patients, ambulatory thyroid surgery is believed to be safe when the risk of complications is low and the patient can obtain additional medical care when necessary.

Do you have a catheter during thyroid surgery?

If you're having an endoscopic or robotic thyroidectomy, the surgeon will use small instruments and a video camera to perform the procedure through tiny incisions. A catheter may be placed in the area to help drain blood and fluids.

Is thyroid surgery a major surgery?

A thyroidectomy is a common but major surgery with serious risks and potential complications. There may be less invasive treatment options available to you.

What is recovery like after thyroid surgery?

You will need to take at least one or two weeks to recover before you return to work and other daily activities. You should not lift any heavy objects for about 2 weeks after your operation to avoid any strain on your neck. Your neck is likely to be swollen and may feel hard and numb right after the surgery.

Is thyroid surgery outpatient?

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.

What should I do before thyroid surgery?

As a general rule, do not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before, and arrive at least two hours before your scheduled surgery. Most often you can take your routine medications with a sip of water. Medication guidelines prior to surgery will be discussed at your pre-operative visit.

How do you feel after thyroid removal?

After any operation you need time for your body to recover and your wound to heal. You should be able to go back to all the things you were doing before your thyroid operation within a few weeks. Your neck may feel stiff and uncomfortable because of the wound and the scar. It may also feel numb.

How should you sleep after thyroid surgery?

Head of Bed: Please elevate the head of your bed 30-45 degrees or sleep in a recliner at 30-45 degrees for the first 3-4 days to decrease swelling. The skin above the incision may look swollen after lying down for a few hours.

What are the side effects after thyroid surgery?

Side effects of thyroid surgery are common and often include neck pain, a sore throat, difficulty swallowing, and hoarseness. You may be given calcium and vitamin D supplements, and hormone replacement therapy is needed in some cases.

Why do you breathe hard after thyroidectomy?

Common causes of this complication include compression due to formation of a hematoma, tracheal collapse, laryngeal edema and bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, and they should be taken into consideration to ensure prevention and/or timely treatment of dyspnea (1,2).

How do you shower after thyroid surgery?

You can shower the day after surgery, or after any gauze dressing is removed, if present. While the surgical area can get wet, you should avoid getting excess water or moisture on the incision or vigorously scrubbing the area. Make sure to pat the area dry if it does get wet.

Do they intubate you for thyroid surgery?

Thyroidectomy under regional or local anesthetic may be performed safely if necessary; most cases, however, are performed under general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation.

How long does it take to get your voice back after thyroid surgery?

Temporary hoarseness, voice tiring, and weakness can occur when one or more of the nerves are irritated during the operation or because of inflammation that occurs after the surgery. This usually gets better within a few weeks, but can take up to 6 months to resolve.

How long is surgery to remove thyroid nodule?

Nodules are often biopsied to make sure no cancer is present. During the procedure, your doctor inserts a very thin needle in the nodule and removes a sample of cells. The procedure is usually done in your doctor's office, takes about 20 minutes and has few risks.

Can you swallow after thyroid surgery?

The results of this study confirm that patients frequently experience postoperative swallowing changes, even after uncomplicated surgery in the absence of laryngeal nerve injuries. In the early postoperative weeks after thyroidectomy, swallowing impairment is self-explanatory and is reported by most patients.

What can I eat after thyroid surgery?

Your Diet During Recovery

You can eat whatever you like after surgery. Try to eat healthy foods. You may find it hard to swallow at first. If so, it may be easier to drink liquids and eat soft foods such as pudding, gelatin, mashed potatoes, apple sauce, or yogurt.

Is it hard to lose weight after thyroid removal?

The thyroid gland produces hormones that regulate your metabolism, so its removal can make it difficult to lose weight. You may actually gain weight as a side effect of the procedure. You should speak to your doctor if you wish to lose weight following a thyroidectomy.

Can I lose weight without a thyroid?

Losing weight can be a challenging process for many people who are living with an underactive thyroid. Whether you have hypothyroidism or no thyroid after thyroidectomy (surgical removal of the thyroid) or radioactive iodine (RAI) treatment, thyroid function affects metabolism and can make weight loss an uphill battle.