What is a Thyroidectomy?

A thyroidectomy is a surgical procedure to remove all or part of the thyroid gland and used to treat diseases of the thyroid gland including:

• Thyroid cancer
• Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid gland)
• Large goiters or thyroid nodules causing symptomatic obstruction such as swallowing or breathing difficulties.
• Multi-nodular Goiter

A thyroidectomy is traditionally a minimally invasive surgery performed through a small horizontal incision in the front of the neck. The entire thyroid gland may be removed or just a single lobe, a portion of a lobe and the isthmus or other structures. Depending on the extent of the operation, patients may need to take the drug levothyroxine, an oral synthetic thyroid hormone