Thyroidectomy: Treatment, Procedure, Cost, And Side Effects

Thyroidectomy refers to the surgical removal of all or a part of the thyroid gland. The thyroidectomy procedure usually does not take too much time. Patients can go home after one day of surgery. After Thyroidectomy patient may have to go through some difficulties, such as neck pain, temporary sore throat, difficulty in swallowing, weak voice, etc. All the above-stated difficulties are temporary and may last for a week at least. It requires 2 to 3 weeks for a complete recovery. Calcium levels may also drop suddenly so we must be in constant consultation with the doctor.

summary- Thyroidectomy is advised to treat severe diseases like goitre or cancer. We should consult with a doctor about any adverse changes we feel regarding the thyroid.

Thyroidectomy is differentiated into distinct categories. These categories are based on the type of issues required to be treated. These are-

• Total thyroidectomy- entire thyroid gland is removed in this procedure
• Partial thyroidectomy- some parts of the thyroid are eradicated in this procedure. It is divided into further subcategories, such as-
• Partial thyroid lobectomy- removal of a part of the thyroid lobe.
• Thyroid lobectomy with isthumusectomy- removal of isthmus along with a thyroid lobe
• Subtotal thyroidectomy- a small part of the gland is left during the surgical procedure.
• Thyroid lobectomy- one lobe of the thyroid gland is removed completely.

summary- Thyroidectomy is divided into the above-stated categories. These are advised to treat particular thyroid-related disorders.

Thyroidectomy is required to treat severe diseases regarding the thyroid gland. Some of them are-

• Hyperthyroidism- the thyroid gland becomes super active and releases too much hormone thyroxine. Thyroidectomy is an option to cure this problem.
• Thyroid cancer- usually a part or most of the thyroid is removed to treat cancer. The surgical process is the most common treatment option for permanent thyroid cancer cure.
• Suspicious thyroid nodule- thyroidectomy is often utilized to eradicate cancerous and noncancerous nodules.
• Goitre- thyroidectomy is applied to treat goitre which is a noncancerous enlargement of the thyroid.

summary- These above-stated disorders are severe and needed to be treated immediately. Thyroidectomy can be a permanent treatment for all of them.

We need to prepare ourselves before Thyroidectomy. Before visiting the hospital, we may need to undergo several tests to evaluate our thyroid status. A general screening test is also conducted by the doctors to confirm if we are healthy enough for surgery. Ultrasound and blood test results are carefully observed before scheduling the surgery. These tests are usually performed one to two weeks before the surgery. There are some plans which are executed before and after the surgery procedure-

Before commencing the surgery, doctors do some tests and induce anesthesia. Anesthesia is induced to reduce pain and discomfort during the entire thyroidectomy procedure. Several monitors are also placed to evaluate blood pressure, oxygen levels, heart rate, etc. After observing each situation carefully, doctors start the surgery.

Once the patient undergoes unconsciousness, the surgery starts with an incision in the center of the neck. A part or whole thyroid is removed by the surgical procedure which takes almost 1-2 hours to complete.

After completing the surgery, the doctors carefully observe the patient’s recovery. The patient may have a drain with a bulb oozing out of the incised area. The drain is usually removed after surgery. Patients may have some bad experiences like hoarse voice, pain, sore throat, etc for some days. If these problems remain persistent then we must consult with a doctor.

summary- Doctors follow some specific planned steps during the entire thyroidectomy procedure. Specific diet and certain precautions are also taken before and after the surgery.

Thyroidectomy also possesses some potential side effects. They may affect patients seriously. These are-

• Low parathyroid hormones levels
• Bleeding
• Hoarse voice
• Infection
• Permanent damage to the voice
• Sore throat, etc.

summary- These above-stated side effects can be permanent or temporary. They must be addressed on time and can be tackled easily with the help of doctors’ guidance and medications.

It usually takes 2-3 weeks to recover. However, it also depends on the type of surgery done or the parts of the thyroid removed. If a total thyroidectomy is performed in which the entire thyroid is removed then it may take more recovery period. Alternatively, if half of the thyroid is removed known as hemithyroidectomy or lobectomy then it will require relatively less time. Depending on the extent of surgery, the recovery time taken can be more or less.

summary- The recovery period is usually variable for different patients. Therefore, we must follow post-treatment guidelines to smoothen and hasten the recovery period.

Since thyroidectomy is a surgical procedure so it is generally high-priced. It involves certain lab tests, observations, and a lot of equipment to carry out the surgery. Therefore, it has higher cost issues. It usually extends from 60,000-70,000 rupees in India. Despite these, it is available everywhere out there.

summary- The thyroidectomy treatment procedure involves several clinical examination processes. That is why the costs are a little higher.

Thyroidectomy is a surgical procedure that is applied to treat severe diseases related to the thyroid gland. It also carries a list of complications including bleeding, infection, and low parathyroid hormone level. We need to be careful before as well as after the surgery. Usually, it is not painful but leads to some throat discomfort. The doctor will provide some medicines which can be taken to tackle pain.

summary- Thyroidectomy possesses a higher success rate but it should be done by a specialist only. We must be careful about our post-surgery period to speed up the recovery process.