The thyroid is a gland located in the lower portion of your neck. It produces hormones and proteins, controls the body's response to hormones and is responsible for regulating metabolism. If the thyroid produces too many hormones or too few hormones or otherwise does not function properly to regulate the body, a number of problems can occur. Sometimes patients undergo thyroid surgery for several reasons, including treating those with goiters (enlarged thyroids), hyperthyroidism (overproduction of thyroid hormones), and thyroid cancer. The type of surgery performed will depend on the gravity and nature of the patient's condition and illness.
Biopsy or lumpectomy
During this procedure, a small part of the thyroid gland is removed. It usually done to collect a small piece of tissue, which can be analyzed in a pathology laboratory. Surgical lumpectomy is sometimes required as a follow-up to another procedure called fine-needle aspiration biopsy wherein a tissue sample is obtained through a very fine needle. A fine-needle aspiration biopsy is a simple procedure, which can be performed in the doctor's office. It is performed to test for the presence of cancer cells that indicate thyroid cancer.
Total thyroidectomy
This most common type of thyroid surgery involves the removal of the entire thyroid gland. It is often performed to treat thyroid cancer and aggressive cancers, such as anaplastic and medullary thyroid cancers.
During Total thyroidectomy, a 3- to 4-inch long incision is made where the collarbones connect to the breastbone. In removing the entire thyroid gland, the neck muscles remain untouched. They will simply be moved and stretched out in order for the surgeon to see and remove the thyroid gland. Thyroid surgery usually takes no more than two hours.
A total thyroidectomy however has nearly a 100 percent chance of causing hypothyroidism. A patient will need to be on thyroid medication, usually for the rest of his life.
Lobecotmy
Lobecotmy involves the removal of a quarter of the thyroid gland or about half of the thyroid tissue located in the neck. It is the smallest operation that can be performed on the thyroid gland. A lobectomy is always a required procedure when any type of thyroid removal surgical is required, because of the thyroid gland's anatomy and location.
The diseased portion of the gland is removed and taken to the pathology laboratory to further process the disease, and diagnose it as benign or cancerous. If no cancer is found, the surgery is done and sutures are placed to close the incisions. If cancer is detected, total thyroidectomy is performed. Lymph nodes on the neck may also be removed, depending on the cancer.
Subtotal / Partial thyroidectomy
This from of surgery involves the removal of half of the thyroid gland. The removal of half of the thyroid gland will take 45 minutes to an hour to perform.
For this surgery, the cancer must be small and non-aggressive, and only contained to just one side of the thyroid gland. With subtotal thyroidectomy, the risk for developing hypothyroidism is quite high. According to The National Institute of Health, 70 percent of patients undergoing a subtotal thyroidectomy will have hypothyroidism.
A partial thyroidectomy may also be recommended for patients with overactive thyroid conditions.
Near-total thyroidectomy
In this procedure, nearly all the thyroid is removed from the patient, with just about 1 cm of tissue remaining on one side. This procedure is recommended for some cancer patients, and for patients with overactive thyroid conditions that cannot be treated with medication. Patients will normally need to be on a thyroid supplementing medication after this procedure is performed.
Tags: thyroid gland, half thyroid, involves removal, this procedure, thyroid cancer, aspiration biopsy
