Thyroid Surgery Types, Indications and outcomes

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Table of Contents:

1. What is Thyroid Surgery?
2.  Types of Thyroid Disease
3. Hyper Thyrodism
4. Hashimoto's Thyroditis
5. Thyroid Cancer
3. Conclusion

To learn about thyroid surgery, you need to know the types of thyroid diseases in the patients.

Various types of thyroids can be seen in various types of patients. In this blog, we will learn about thyroid types, indications, and outcomes.

What is Thyroid Surgery?

Thyroid Surgery(Thyroidectomy) is a surgical procedure commonly employed by healthcare doctors to treat thyroid problems. This comprises the presence of malignant neoplasms, the benign enlargement of the thyroid gland, and the medical disease characterised by an overactive thyroid, known as hyperthyroidism.

Types of Thyroid Disease:

Let's learn about the various types of thyroid disorders seen in the patients. 

1.Hyper Thyroidism:

Hyperthyroidism is a medical condition characterised by the abnormal production of thyroid hormones by the thyroid gland, resulting in an excessive amount of these hormones in the body. The medical condition indicated above is often known as hyperthyroidism.

One of the primary aetiologies of hyperthyroidism is Graves' disease, which is characterised by an autoimmune response targeting the thyroid gland. Other contributing factors include inflammation, viral infections, and excessive thyroid hormone intake.

Symptoms (Indications):

- Anxiety

- Focus Difficulty

- Visibly increasing thyroid gland

- Fatigue

- Hair loss

- Heat intolerance

- Increased appetite

- Irregular menstrual periods in women

- Nail changes

- Nervousness

- Weight loss

- Sleep problems

Other Symptoms:

- Nausea & Vomiting

- Diarrhea

- High blood pressure

- Skin rash, blushing or flushing

- Itchy or irritated eyes

Outcome:

Without treatment, it increases the risk of high morbidness and mortality and leads to coma or death for a patient. It can result in harsh mental retardation in the childrens. With the thyroid surgery treatment, the patient can recover from this disease, and symptoms will be reversed in a few weeks or months.

2.Hashimoto's Thyroiditis:

Hashimoto's thyroiditis is classified as an autoimmune ailment, which has the potential to induce hypothyroidism, a condition characterized by an insufficiently active thyroid gland. Infrequently, the ailment has the potential to induce hyperthyroidism, characterized by excessive thyroid activity.

Symptoms(Indications):

- Slowed heart rate

- Weight gain

- Fatigue

- Trouble tolerating cold

- Joint and muscle pain

- Constipation

- Dry skin or dry thinning hair

- Prolonged or erratic menstruation or issues with fertility

Outcome:

The long-term prognosis for those diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease is highly favourable when considering the implementation of continuous thyroid surgery monitoring and treatment. Untreated hypothyroidism resulting from Hashimoto's disease may give rise to several health complications, notably including high cholesterol levels. Cardiovascular illness, specifically heart disease and heart failure, is a prevalent and significant health concern.

Thyroid Tumors:

The thyroid gland is situated anteriorly in the cervical region, namely at the inferior aspect of the neck. Thyroid tumours can be classified as either benign, indicating a noncancerous nature, or malignant, indicating the presence of cancerous growths. Adenomas, which have the potential to release thyroid hormone, serve as illustrations of benign tumours.

Thyroid Adenomas:

Thyroid adenomas are little nodules that originate from the epithelial layer that coats the internal surface of the thyroid gland. The adenoma has the potential to produce and release thyroid hormone. In the event that the adenoma produces a sufficient amount of thyroid hormone, it has the potential to induce hyperthyroidism.

Treatment may be administered for thyroid adenomas in the event that they induce hyperthyroidism. The therapeutic approach may encompass surgical intervention aimed at excising a portion of the thyroid gland, specifically targeting the hyperactive nodule.

Symptoms:

- loss of voice or hoarseness as the disease presses against the voice box's nerves

- Trouble swallowing as the cancer squeezes into the throat

- Constant throat or neck pain

- Problems in Breathing

- Cough problem

Outcome:

According to the cancer data statistics, When thyroid cancer metastasizes to adjacent tissues or organs and the surrounding lymph nodes, it is referred to as regional thyroid cancer. The relative survival rate for regional papillary thyroid during 5 years is 99%. The rate of regional follicular cancer is 98%, while the rate of regional medullary cancer is 92%. The incidence rate for regional anaplastic thyroid is 11%.

(Reference: https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/thyroid-cancer/statistics#:~:text=The%205%2Dyear%20relative%20survival%20rate%20for%20regional%20papillary%20thyroid,%2C%20the%20rate%20is%2092%25.)

3.Thyroid Cancer:

Thyroid cancer exhibits a higher incidence rate among those who have received radiation therapy targeting the regions of the head, neck, or chest. Nevertheless, it can also manifest in individuals who do not possess any identifiable risk factors. Thyroid cancer encompasses four primary classifications, namely papillary thyroid cancer, follicular thyroid cancer, anaplastic thyroid cancer, and medullary thyroid cancer. Effective treatment can be given for the vast majority of instances of thyroid cancer.

Symptoms:

- Swelling can be felt through the skin on your neck

- Close-fitting shirt collars become tight

- Increase in huskiness & changes in voice

- Trouble Swallowing

- Swollen lymph nodes in your neck

- Neck and throat pain

Outcome:

Most thyroid cancers are highly likely to be successfully treated, particularly in cases where metastasis to remote anatomical sites has not occurred. In cases where a cure for cancer is unattainable, the treatment objective can involve the maximal removal or eradication of the cancerous cells while also aiming to impede their proliferation, metastasis, or recurrence for an extended duration.

Conclusion:

By paying early attention to any thyroid disease, doctors specialising in this area can assist the patients with treatment according to the type of thyroid and help them recover well from this disease with thyroid surgery.