About surgery for thyroid lumps
Before becoming too alarmed by a thyroid lump in your throat, keep in mind that most thyroid nodules are benign (noncancerous).
Even so, it is important to schedule an appointment with a thyroid specialist if you notice a thyroid lump or if you begin to exhibit symptoms associated with thyroid disorders.
Your doctor will be able to recommend the most effective treatment plant. Individuals who are experiencing normal thyroid function may have a fine needle biopsy taken to determine whether or not the thyroid nodules are cancerous.
Thyroid nodules surgery may be the best course of action to take if other treatment methods have not produced the desired results or if removal of specific glands works best to eliminate the source of the problem.
Reasons that surgery for thyroid lumps is needed
The most common reason that thyroid removal surgery is required is when the nodules are found to be cancerous. In some cases, partial thyroidectomy is possible.
However, Thyroid surgeons often prefer a total thyroidectomy to significantly reduce the risk that the cancerous cells will return.
Other types of surgery include near-total thyroidectomy in which only a small portion of the thyroid is left intact while the rest is removed. A lymphadenectomy is the removal of the malignant lymph nodes in the neck.
Non-surgical procedures such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy and thyroid hormone therapy may also be initiated if thyroid lumps are found to be cancerous.
For instance, thyroid hormone replacement therapy suppresses the production of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in the body. TSH increases the chance that the cancer will recur or grow. So patients treated for differentiated thyroid cancer take a daily thyroid hormone replacement tablet called levothyroxine (also known as T4).They take it both to avoid hypothyroidism and to prevent growth or recurrence of their thyroid cancer.
Depending on the nature of the lump in your thyroid, the treatment plan may be a lot simpler than these treatment methods or may require extensive forms of treatment. Visit a thyroid surgeon to get started on the most appropriate treatment plan.
