Thyroid surgery

You maybe referred for:

• Work up of a thyroid nodule

• Multinodular goitre

• Thyroid cancer - most common papillary thyroid cancer, also follicular thyroid cancer, medullary thyroid cancer

• Surgery for thyrotoxicosis

• Thyroglossal cyst

You maybe referred for:

• Work up of a thyroid nodule

• Multinodular goitre

• Thyroid cancer - most common papillary thyroid cancer, also follicular thyroid cancer, medullary thyroid cancer

• Surgery for thyrotoxicosis

• Thyroglossal cyst

Types of thyroid surgery:

• Isthmusectomy

• Hemi thyroidectomy

• Total thyroidectomy

• Central neck dissection

• Lateral neck dissection

What to expect

Surgery is carried out over 1-2 hours under a general anaesthetic.  Dr Wang routinely uses nerve monitor to protect your recurrent laryngeal as well as external branch of superior laryngeal nerves during your operation. You will be able to drink, eat and walk around within a few hours.  You will be monitored closely during your hospital stay. Patient are typically discharged home in 1-2 days. If you are required to have your whole thyroid gland removed you will start thyroid hormone replacement in the hospital. Patient are recommended to take a week work and can return to office duties thereafter. Dr Wang will test you thyroid function at 6 weeks after the surgery and optimise your thyroid hormone supplementation.