Thyroid gland removal: Procedure, side effects, and recovery

The thyroid plays an important part in the body’s functions. It produces hormones that circulate throughout the body, regulating a person’s temperature and metabolism.

It also supports the heart and digestive system and helps maintain muscle control and bone health.

A doctor may recommend thyroid gland removal for many reasons. In this article, learn about these reasons and what to expect from the procedure.

Uses

A person is most likely to undergo thyroid removal surgery if:

• A nodule on the gland is cancerous or may become cancerous. Thyroid nodules are usually benign, but a doctor will take a biopsy to check.
• A thyroid nodule or the whole gland is enlarged and causing dangerous or bothersome symptoms, such as trouble swallowing, difficulty breathing, or changes to the voice.
• A person has an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) that does not respond to other treatments. Graves’ disease or toxicity in one or more nodules can cause hyperthyroidism.

When an experienced surgeon performs thyroid removal surgery, the risk of serious complications is low. However, all surgeries involve some risks.

Risks of thyroid removal include:

• infection
• bleeding, which occurs in the first few hours after surgery
• injury to the nerves that control the voice box
• injury to a parathyroid gland

The four parathyroid glands help control the amount of calcium in the blood.

After total thyroidectomy, a doctor will monitor parathyroid hormone and calcium levels to detect any need for calcium or vitamin D supplementation. Symptoms of low blood calcium include numbness and tingling sensations or muscle cramps.

Another potential complication is that a person will need to take thyroid hormone replacement medication.

If the surgeon removes the entire thyroid, a person will need lifelong hormone replacement. This involves taking levothyroxine (Synthroid), a synthetic version of the thyroid hormone. The doctor will calculate the dosage based on the person’s weight.

If the surgeon removes only part of the thyroid, there is an 80 percent chance that the remainder of the gland will start producing enough hormone, and a person will not need replacement medication.

However, if the thyroid gland was underactive (hypothyroidism), and a person was already taking thyroid hormone replacement, they will likely need to continue taking it after surgery.

Recovery

Most people can return to their regular activities the day after thyroid removal surgery. Limit participation in physical activities or sports for a few days or weeks, or until a doctor says it is safe to start again.

A person will likely have a sore throat for a few days. Over-the-counter pain relievers, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, can usually reduce the pain. If the pain is severe, a doctor might prescribe a stronger pain reliever.

After surgery, the doctor may monitor a person’s thyroid hormone and calcium levels to check for hypothyroidism or hypoparathyroidism.

A person should notify their doctor if they experience hoarseness in their voice or difficulty breathing.

Outlook

Thyroid removal surgery can treat a range of problems. A person may undergo the procedure if they have nodules or goiters on their thyroid, toxic nodules, Graves’ disease, or thyroid cancer.

The risk of complications is low, but a person may need to take thyroid hormone replacement medication for the rest of their life.

A doctor will provide detailed instructions on how to prepare for the surgery and support a smooth recovery.

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