Thyroid & Parathyroid
Surgery is recommended for thyroid cancer, suspicious or large thyroid nodules, goiter causing pressure symptoms, Graves’ disease when medication fails, and hyperparathyroidism due to overactive parathyroid glands or adenomas.
A thyroidectomy removes part or all of the thyroid gland, while parathyroidectomy removes one or more parathyroid glands to treat excess calcium production, usually caused by benign tumors such as adenomas.
Evaluation may include ultrasound, fine-needle aspiration biopsy for nodules, blood tests for thyroid hormones, calcium & parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels, and CT/MRI or nuclear scans when needed for surgical planning.
Treatment is individualized. Options include lobectomy (half-thyroid removal) for select nodules, or total thyroidectomy for confirmed cancers based on tumor size, spread risk, and functional safety, performed by expert endocrine surgeons.
Yes, selected parathyroid cases can be treated using focused minimally invasive approaches like MIP, while thyroid surgery may include scar-minimizing or transoral techniques, depending on eligibility and tumor assessment.
After a total thyroidectomy, thyroid-hormone replacement is required for life. After lobectomy, medication may or may not be needed depending on remaining gland function, monitored during follow-ups.
Risks may include temporary or permanent calcium imbalance (hypocalcemia), voice changes due to nerve irritation, neck swelling, and bleeding. Expert surgeons apply nerve monitoring and parathyroid-preservation techniques to minimize complications.
Rare, but possible if the recurrent laryngeal nerve is affected. Many high-volume cancer centers use intra-operative nerve monitoring to protect voice and improve surgical safety.
Most patients resume normal activity within 1–2 weeks. Calcium levels, voice quality, wound healing, and hormone balance are monitored for several months depending on surgery type.
Temporary hypocalcemia is managed using calcium and vitamin-D supplementation, guided by blood calcium and PTH monitoring. Symptoms like tingling or cramps must be reported early for quick correction.
Standard surgery leaves a small neck scar, but scar-minimizing options are available at advanced oncology and endocrine surgery hospitals, focusing on cosmetic and functional quality of life outcomes.
Parathyroid surgery has very high success rates when the overactive glands are precisely located and removed. Most patients experience significant calcium normalization after adenoma removal under expert care.