Is thyroid removal major surgery?

A thyroidectomy is a treatment for a variety of conditions of the thyroid gland. A thyroidectomy is a common but major surgery with serious risks and potential complications. There may be less invasive treatment options available to you.

How serious is thyroid removal surgery?

Thyroidectomy is generally a safe procedure. But as with any surgery, thyroidectomy carries a risk of complications. Potential complications include: Bleeding.

How long does it take to recover from thyroid surgery?

Most people are ready to return home within one day of surgery, but take off about two weeks from work to recover. You'll need to refrain from heavy lifting or other tasks that can strain your neck for up to three weeks after your surgery.

How long do you have to stay 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.

Is thyroid surgery painful?

Pain at the incision is minimal (most liken it to a sore throat), and patients generally require only mild pain medication (for example, acetaminophen) by the first day after the operation. It may be more comfortable to eat soft foods for a few days.

Thyroid Surgery (Thyroidectomy)

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.

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).

Why is thyroid surgery difficult?

Moreover, when the vascularity increases, as in toxic goiters and malignancy, it can result in difficult thyroidectomy. Patient-related factors such as obesity, short neck, cervical spondylitis, and other factors including the decision making for surgery can result in difficulty for the surgeon.

Does thyroid removal shorten life expectancy?

We have also shown that treatment per se (thyroidectomy, high-dose radioactive iodine and thyroid hormone medication) is safe and does not shorten life expectancy.

Do you have a catheter during thyroid surgery?

If you have a catheter in your neck to drain fluid, it's usually removed the morning after your surgery. You'll probably be able to go home the day after your thyroidectomy, but you could spend up to three days in the hospital. The length of your stay will depend on your medical condition and recovery.

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.

What happens to your body after total thyroidectomy?

Following surgery, you may experience: Voice changes, such as, a hoarse voice, difficulty in speaking loudly, voice fatigue, and a change in the tone of your voice. These changes are due to damage to the laryngeal nerves that supply your voice box (larynx) during surgery.

Is it hard to swallow after thyroid surgery?

Abstract: Common complaints of patients who have received thyroidectomy include dysphonia (voice dysfunction) and dysphagia (difficulty swallowing). One cause of these surgical outcomes is recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis.

Can you live a normal life without your thyroid?

Thyroid disease is common, and in some cases may require removal of your thyroid (thyroidectomy). Fortunately, you can live without your thyroid. You will need long-term thyroid hormone replacement therapy to give you the hormone your thyroid normally produces.

How long will my neck be swollen after thyroid surgery?

You will see swelling or bruising develop in the area around the incision 1-3 days after surgery. You may also notice swelling, firmness, a pulling sensation, or even some trouble swallowing. This often increases over the first 1-2 weeks and then begins to resolve over 6-8 weeks. These are normal sensations.

Why would a woman have her thyroid removed?

Almost all thyroid nodules which are malignant or highly suspicious of malignancy are treated with surgery. Thyroid removal is also very frequently needed for nodules that have atypical or suspicious cells on biopsy. As noted above, thyroid surgery is the mainstay of curing thyroid cancer.

What foods to avoid if you have no thyroid?

General Diet Guidelines

Try to avoid added sugars, especially in sweetened beverages such as soda, and limit saturated and trans fats in your diet. You can cut down on saturated fat by choosing lean cuts of meat, and choosing poultry and seafood instead of beef or pork.

Does not having a thyroid affect your memory?

Thyroid hormone regulates metabolism in every organ of the body, including the brain. When thyroid hormone is low, it can affect your memory span and ability to concentrate.

What are the risks of removing thyroid?

Risks specific to thyroid surgery rarely occur. However, the two most common risks are: damage to the recurrent laryngeal nerves (nerves connected to your vocal cords) damage to the parathyroid glands (glands that control the level of calcium in your body)

What kind of surgeon removes the thyroid?

Thyroid surgery is performed by otolaryngologists or general surgeons.

When does voice come 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.

Can I lose weight with no 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.

When should you remove your thyroid?

Your doctor may recommend surgery to remove part or all of your thyroid gland if it's overactive, has grown very large, or has nodules, cysts or other growths that are—or could be—cancerous.

How long will my neck hurt after thyroidectomy?

Neck Stiffness

You may experience stiffness/soreness in your neck, shoulder, or back and may experience tension headaches. These may take a few days or weeks to go away completely.