What are the complications of thyroid surgery?
How long does it take to recover from thyroid surgery? Most people take 1 to 2 weeks off to recover. You should not drive for at least a week. There are no other restrictions. Depending on the amount of thyroid tissue that was removed and the reason for your surgery, you may be placed on thyroid hormone (Synthroid or Cytomel).
What is the most serious complication of thyroidectomy? Hypocalcemia—This is the most common complication of thyroidectomy. Depending on how many parathyroid glands that are inadvertently removed, signs and symptoms can go from mild to severe. Mild symptoms are transient and include paresthesias around the oral cavity, hands, and feet.
What is a major complication that can occur immediately after a thyroidectomy? Definition. Major postoperative complications include wound infection, bleeding, airway obstruction (compressing hematoma, tracheomalacia), hypocalcemia, thyroid storm (uncommon, usually associated with Grave’s disease) and recurrent laryngeal nerve injury.
What are the complications of thyroid surgery? – Related Questions
What is life like after thyroid removal?
For most patients, walking and normal routines can resume the day after the operation, but vigorous activity and heavy lifting are not recommended for two weeks. Depending on their job type, most people will need to take 1-2 weeks off work after thyroid surgery.
Is thyroid removal major surgery?
A thyroidectomy is a major operation and you should rest for 2-3 days when you get home. You will normally be well enough to return to work in 1-2 weeks, but this will vary depending on the type of work you do. It is normal to feel tired for the first few weeks.
Will I gain weight after thyroid removal?
Following thyroid surgery, patients often complain of weight gain, even when they have achieved biochemical euthyroidism.
How long do you stay in hospital after thyroid surgery?
Because of this rare chance of bleeding, we keep you in the hospital for 4 hours after the operation for observation and in certain cases may observe you overnight in the hospital.
What happens to your body after total thyroidectomy?
After a total thyroidectomy, you will take lifelong thyroid hormone replacements. Because your entire thyroid gland is removed, it will no longer supply you with the hormone you need to control your body’s metabolic processes. You might also have to take supplements after thyroidectomy to balance your calcium levels.
Has anyone died from thyroid surgery?
Although deaths related to thyroid surgery are uncommon (approximating 7 deaths per 10,000 operations), patients may feel like their lives may be permanently altered from a surgery that we perceive as routine.
Does thyroid removal shorten life expectancy?
Overall 14% of the patients had reduced life expectancy. There was no reduction in life expectancy for those younger than age 45, but it was reduced in those older than age 45, especially in those over age 60.
Why am I so tired after having my thyroid removed?
Tiredness and feeling emotional
After any operation, your body is using a lot of energy to heal itself, so you will feel more tired than normal. With a thyroid operation, there is another reason for tiredness. The thyroid produces hormones which control the speed at which your body works.
Which of the following is the most common postoperative complication seen in thyroid surgery?
The most frequent thyroid surgery was total thyroidectomy and the most common indication for thyroid surgery was suspicious fine-needle aspiration for thyroid malignancy. Hypocalcemia was the most common complication with a frequency of 54.4%.
Will I feel better after my thyroid is removed?
This is normal for several weeks after surgery and will resolve over time. You may also feel a sensation of swelling or firmness that will also resolve over time.
What is the best diet after thyroid removal?
Your Diet During Recovery
You can eat whatever you like after surgery. Try to eat healthy foods. You may find it hard to swallow at first. If so, it may be easier to drink liquids and eat soft foods such as pudding, gelatin, mashed potatoes, apple sauce, or yogurt.
Can you talk after thyroid surgery?
You may still have a tube called a drain in your neck. Your doctor will take this out a few days after your surgery. You may have some trouble chewing and swallowing after you go home. Your voice probably will be hoarse, and you may have trouble talking.
How should I sleep after thyroidectomy?
Head of Bed: Please elevate the head of your bed 30-45 degrees or sleep in a recliner at 30-45 degrees for the first 3-4 days to decrease swelling. The skin above the incision may look swollen after lying down for a few hours.
Can a thyroid grow back?
Most people do very well after treatment, but follow-up care is very important since most thyroid cancers grow slowly and can recur even 10 to 20 years after initial treatment.
What kind of surgeon does thyroid surgery?
Thyroid surgery is performed by otolaryngologists or general surgeons.
What type of doctor removes thyroid?
In general, thyroid surgery is best performed by a surgeon who has received special training and who performs thyroid surgery on a regular basis. The complication rate of thyroid operations is lower when the operation is done by a surgeon who does a large number of thyroid operations each year.
How do I prepare for thyroid surgery?
As a general rule, do not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before, and arrive at least two hours before your scheduled surgery. Most often you can take your routine medications with a sip of water. Medication guidelines prior to surgery will be discussed at your pre-operative visit.
What happens to TSH when thyroid is removed?
If your thyroid has been removed (thyroidectomy), your body can no longer make the thyroid hormone it needs. You will need to take thyroid hormone (levothyroxine) pills to replace the natural hormone and help maintain normal metabolism and possibly lower your risk of the cancer coming back.
Can you lose weight with no thyroid?
Whether you have hypothyroidism or no thyroid after surgery or radioactive iodine (RAI) treatment, thyroid function affects metabolism and can make weight loss an uphill battle.
Can you survive without thyroid medication?
People can live full, long lives without a thyroid (or with an underactive thyroid) if they take medication to replace the absence of thyroid hormones in their body with thyroid medication. People can live for a very long time without thyroid hormones, but they will develop symptoms that decrease their quality of life.
Why do you breathe hard after thyroidectomy?
Common causes of this complication include compression due to formation of a hematoma, tracheal collapse, laryngeal edema and bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, and they should be taken into consideration to ensure prevention and/or timely treatment of dyspnea (1,2).
