Thyroid growths

• Authorization will be arranged by the rooms or hospital staff.

• Fasting:

• No solid food for 6 hours before surgery

• No clear liquids for 2 hours before surgery

• Most chronic medications may be taken, except diabetic medication (to be discussed with your doctor).

• Inform your doctor if you are taking blood-thinning medication.

• Pre-operative blood tests and imaging will be arranged if required.

Thyroid surgery is performed under general anaesthesia. A small incision is made in the lower neck. In some cases, a surgical drain may be placed for a short period. Post-operative monitoring focuses on bleeding, breathing, voice changes, and calcium levels.

Management depends on the size, appearance, symptoms, and biopsy results.

• Small, benign nodules may be monitored with regular ultrasound.

• Symptomatic, enlarging, or suspicious nodules are usually treated surgically.

• Surgical options include:

  • Hemithyroidectomy (removal of one thyroid lobe)

  • Total thyroidectomy (removal of the entire thyroid)

• All removed tissue is sent for histological analysis.

Surgical procedures typically take 60–180 minutes, depending on the extent of surgery

• Bleeding or haematoma

• Infection

• Temporary or permanent voice changes

• Low calcium levels following surgery

• Scar formation

• Need for lifelong thyroid hormone replacement (after total thyroidectomy)

• Unintended damage to surrounding structures

• Rarely, airway compromise requiring urgent intervention

• Complications are uncommon. Contact the rooms immediately if you experience neck swelling, breathing difficulty, voice changes, numbness, tingling, or fever

• Hemithyroidectomy: 1–2 days

• Total thyroidectomy: 2–3 days, depending on recovery and calcium levels