Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery

What is it?

The thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped gland located at the front of the neck just below the Adam's apple. The gland produces thyroid hormone which has a major role in regulating many aspects of health such as metabolism, body weight, temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, mental awareness, muscles and nerves.

Surgery may be required if the thyroid is too active (hyperthyroidism or thyrotoxicosis), enlarged (hypertrophied) or nodular (producing a goitre), or cancerous (or suspected of being cancerous). 

How is it treated?

Surgery to remove the whole thyroid is called a total thyroidectomy. Removal of part of the thyroid gland is called a partial or sub-total thyroidectomy or a hemithyroidectomy, depending on how much is removed.

An incision is made in the front of the neck along the collar line, just under the Adam's apple. The surgeon removes part or all of the thyroid while taking care to avoid injury to nearby blood vessels and nerves. 

Parathyroid 

What is it?

Each of the four parathyroid glands is about the size of a rice grain and they are located near the thyroid and a very small amount of parathyroid tissue may be in the chest behind the breast bone.

The purpose of the parathyroid tissue is to control the level of calcium in the blood. Calcium is important for muscle function and strength, and for the conduction of electrical currents along the nerves.

Surgery of the parathyroid glands may be needed if one or more is too active or cancerous (which is very rare). 

How is it treated?

Surgery to remove a parathyroid gland is called a parathyroidectomy.

An incision is made in the front of the neck along the collar line, just under the Adam's apple. The surgeon will move the thyroid gland to one side to allow access to the four parathyroid glands. The surgeon will remove one, two, three or all four parathyroids (depending on the parathyroid disorder and which glands are enlarged).