Can you remove thyroid

Thyroid lobectomy with or without an isthmectomy. If your thyroid nodules are located in one lobe, your surgeon will remove only that lobe lobectomy. With an isthmectomy, the narrow band of tissue isthmus that connects the two lobes also is removed. After the surgery, your nodule will be examined under a microscope to see whether there are any cancer cells.

If there are cancer cells, your surgeon may perform a complete thyroidectomy. Subtotal near-total thyroidectomy. Your surgeon will remove one complete lobe, the isthmus, and part of the other lobe. This is used for hyperthyroidism caused by Graves' disease. How Well It Works Success of a thyroidectomy to remove thyroid cancer depends on the type of cancer and whether it has spread metastasized to other parts of the body. Risks Thyroid surgery is generally a safe surgery.

But there is a risk of complications, including: Hoarseness and change of voice. The nerves that control your voice can be damaged during thyroid surgery. This is less common if you are having a lobectomy rather than a total thyroidectomy.

Hypoparathyroidism can occur if the parathyroid glands are mistakenly removed or damaged during a total thyroidectomy. Of those who develop hypocalcemia, approximately 75 percent will recover in 1 year. Your thyroid gland is responsible for growth and metabolism in your body. Here are 10 common signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism, or low thyroid…. It can cause a goiter, or enlarged thyroid, which can make…. Learn the symptoms and your treatment…. Learn why a thyroid-stimulating hormone test is performed, what to expect during the test, and what the test results may mean.

The thyroid gland produces a hormone that controls how your cells use energy. Hyperthyroidism occurs when the body produces excessive amounts.

Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Thyroid Gland Removal. Medically reviewed by Andrew Gonzalez, M. Reasons for thyroid surgery. Types of thyroid surgery. How is thyroid surgery performed? Risks of thyroid surgery. Read this next. Medically reviewed by Nancy Carteron, M. Conventional thyroid surgery is done through an incision in the front of the neck. The size of the incision depends on factors such as how large your thyroid is and whether the surgeon needs to remove lymph nodes.

Another approach is robot-assisted surgery. The surgeon controls a robotic system that directs the movements of small instruments inserted into an incision under your arm. Duke endocrine surgeon Dr. Michael Stang , MD, has extensive experience with this technique.

Duke research shows that surgeons who perform 25 or more thyroid surgeries a year have the lowest complication rates. Yet about half of all surgeons who do thyroid surgeries do just one a year. Professional associations for medical specialties—such as the American Thyroid Association ATA —regularly review the latest research and set out treatment guidelines for achieving the best patient outcomes. All surgery brings risk for complications like bleeding and infection.

The four parathyroid glands help control the amount of calcium in the blood. After total thyroidectomy, a doctor will monitor parathyroid hormone and calcium levels to detect any need for calcium or vitamin D supplementation. Symptoms of low blood calcium include numbness and tingling sensations or muscle cramps. Another potential complication is that a person will need to take thyroid hormone replacement medication. If the surgeon removes the entire thyroid, a person will need lifelong hormone replacement.

This involves taking levothyroxine Synthroid , a synthetic version of the thyroid hormone. If the surgeon removes only part of the thyroid, there is an 80 percent chance that the remainder of the gland will start producing enough hormone, and a person will not need replacement medication. However, if the thyroid gland was underactive hypothyroidism , and a person was already taking thyroid hormone replacement, they will likely need to continue taking it after surgery.

Most people can return to their regular activities the day after thyroid removal surgery. Limit participation in physical activities or sports for a few days or weeks , or until a doctor says it is safe to start again. A person will likely have a sore throat for a few days. Over-the-counter pain relievers, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, can usually reduce the pain. If the pain is severe, a doctor might prescribe a stronger pain reliever.

A person should notify their doctor if they experience hoarseness in their voice or difficulty breathing.