The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located just below the cartilage protrusion in the front of the neck area and secretes vital hormones for the body. Thyroid nodule: They are abnormal lumps or masses that occur within the thyroid tissue and may have different structures and sizes. Although it is a common problem, what is important is the diagnosis and treatment of nodules that may be cancerous.
The most important diagnostic procedure in thyroid treatment is a fine needle aspiration biopsy performed on the nodule. Four possibilities that may arise as a result of biopsy: They are listed in 4 groups as good, suspicious, bad or unidentified. node
If it is benign, there is no need for surgery. However, bad or suspicious nodules are in the group that requires surgery. In the unidentified group, if an unidentified structure is seen in biopsies three times in a row, they are also operated on.
Thyroid surgery begins with an approximately 4-5 cm long incision made in the front part of the neck. First, the thin muscles just under the skin are opened and the thyroid gland is reached. Since the thyroid gland has two wings like a butterfly, first one wing and then the other wing separates over the trachea. In the meantime, it is important not to damage the nerves that pass right behind the thyroid gland and lead to the vocal cords, and also not to displace the parathyroid glands, which are the size of rice and located right behind the thyroid gland. The surgery takes about two hours and the patient is often discharged after staying in the hospital overnight.
The most important risks that may be encountered during thyroid surgery are bleeding, damage to the nerve that stimulates the vocal cords, which causes permanent voice changes, and damage to the parathyroid glands, which regulate the calcium level of our body, causing hypoparathyroidism.
Thyroid surgery should be performed by surgeons who have special training and experience in this regard. Complication rates are lower after surgeries performed by surgeons who frequently perform thyroid surgery.
