Thyroid surgery is advisable when an enlarged gland narrows the windpipe or oesophagus and causes difficulty swallowing or breathing or a feeling of pressure in the neck, when a malignant tumour is suspected or confirmed, or when an overactive thyroid cannot be adequately treated with medication or radioiodine.
| Condition | Treatment |
|---|---|
| Nodules | Cold nodules that cause symptoms, grow quickly or are suspicious; hot nodules with overactivity that cannot be controlled |
| Overactive thyroid | Graves’ disease, autonomous adenoma – when radioiodine is not suitable or not wanted |
| Malignant tumours | Thyroid cancer, in collaboration with the tumour board |
| Parathyroid glands | Overactivity due to adenoma or hyperplasia |
How the operation works
Thyroid operations are among the most common procedures in general surgery. They are usually performed through a 5–6 cm incision at the front of the neck. Neuromonitoring continuously checks the function of the vocal cord nerves during surgery. At the end, one or two drains are placed and the skin is closed.