The thyroid is a small, two-inch gland and consists of two lobes, one on each side of the windpipe, connected by tissue called the isthmus.
Common disorders of the thyroid include:
Goiters
Goiter is an enlargement of the thyroid gland. It may be secondary to multiple swollen nodules (multinodular goiter) or it may be an enlargement of the whole gland. If the goiter is felt not to be cancerous, it may be observed without surgery. If the goiter is large enough, it can cause symptoms even if it's not malignant. Symptoms include difficulty swallowing, coughing, hoarseness and even compression of the airway causing difficulty breathing. If surgery is required for these types of compressive symptoms, then typically a total thyroidectomy is done.
Surgical procedures to treat disorders of the thyroid include:
Thyroidectomy
Total thyroidectomy: Your surgeon will remove the entire gland and sometimes the lymph nodes surrounding the gland. Additional treatments for cancers such as thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) suppression and radioactive iodine work best when as much of the thyroid is removed as possible. All thyroidectomies are done under great care to avoid injury to vital structures in the surrounding area.
Subtotal (near-total) thyroidectomy: Your surgeon will remove one complete lobe, the isthmus, and part of the other lobe. This may be done for nodules limited to one lobe of the thyroid gland.
Needle Biopsy
A thyroid biopsy is a procedure in which a small sample of tissue is removed from the thyroid gland and examined under a microscope for cancer, infection, or other thyroid disorders. A sample of thyroid tissue can be obtained by inserting a needle through the skin and into the thyroid gland. This is called a needle biopsy.
Lymph Node Dissection
A lymph node dissection, also called lymphadenectomy, is surgery to remove lymph nodes. This may be done to examine lymph nodes for cancer cells. The removal and examination of the cancerous lymph nodes will help determine the exact stage and grade of the cancer and may reduce the spread of the disease.
