Surgery is the recommended treatment for several disorders of the thyroid gland. These include:
Thyroid operations are usually straightforward when performed by an experienced surgeon. The most common types of thyroid surgery are:
If you have been advised that surgery is an option to treat your thyroid disorder it is important that your doctor or surgeon explains the purpose of the operation and discusses with you all of the risks involved, no matter how small.
There are risks to all surgical procedures and you should not be shy in asking your surgeon what their personal complication rate is. All thyroid surgeons should be entering their data into the UK Register of Endocrine and Thyroid Surgery (UKRETS) database. This is recommended for all thyroid surgeons in England and mandatory for all members of the British Association of Endocrine and Thyroid Surgeons (BAETS). You can find out about surgeon specific outcomes on the BAETS website
We have prepared a checklist of questions which you may wish to ask. Once you feel you have all the information you need you will be able to give your consent to the operation.
A thyroidectomy should not be a particularly painful operation but it is normal to feel tired following surgery and it may take up to a month before you feel you have your energy levels back. The recovery process varies between individuals however. How you are affected will depend in part on the operation you have had.
For more details about what to expect and some suggestions about what may help you, please see the following resources:
Royal College of Surgeons: thyroidectomy information
It is important that you understand the potential risks of a thyroidectomy, how likely they are to happen, and in some cases, what steps you can take to avoid them. The most common complications include the following:
For an explanation of the possible consequences of thyroid surgery please see BAETS leaflet
For information and support about hypoparathyroidism, help is available from Parathyroid UK
If you have undergone a total thyroidectomy to treat hyperthyroidism, a thyroid nodule or thyroid cancer, you will need to take thyroxine (levothyroxine) to replace what your body can no longer make. If you have undergone a hemithyroidectomy, you may also need to take levothyroxine if the remaining part of the thyroid cannot produce thyroxine in sufficient quantities.
Levothyroxine doses are dependent upon your body weight and blood test results. Most patients require between 100 and 150mcg a day, but the dose can be lower than 50mcg or up to 300mcg a day, depending on your needs. If you have severe hypothyroidism or are at risk of heart problems you can expect your doctor to start cautiously and increase the dose gradually. It can take several months before you feel better and for the thyroid function tests to return to normal or be judged satisfactory by your doctor. During this period you will have regular thyroid function tests, usually every three months, and your dose may need to be adjusted according to the results of the tests.
Read our guide to living better with hypothyroidism
See our hypothyroidism resources
In the UK there are currently few alternatives to the traditional surgical route available.
Watch the BTF thyroid surgery webinar
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Watch the BTF webinar on thyroid cancer surgery, diagnosis and management
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