Operations on the thyroid gland
All patients will have their operation discussed with them before surgery and will be given a written information sheet, so that surgery is always based on informed consent. A patient will not be asked to consent to proceed to further or alternative measures.
A thyroidectomy is removal of all (total thyroidectomy) or part (usually a thyroid lobectomy) of the thyroid gland. This may be required because the whole gland is enlarged (a goitre), or the gland is overactive, or there may be a nodule (a lump) on one side of the gland that needs to be removed to find out the cause of the lump.
If the entire gland is removed you will have to be on thyroxine tablets afterwards for the rest of your life. The correct dose varies for different people and can be monitored by a simple blood test. This does not affect your ability to lead a normal, active life.
If only part of the gland is removed most people will not need to take any tablets.
Occasionally the parathyroid gland is removed or damaged during thyroid surgery. In many cases where the whole gland is removed, the parathyroid glands tend to “shut down” for a few weeks. In these cases you will normally be put on calcium tablets for around a month to allow the parathyroid glands to recover. Very rarely the parathyroid glands do not recover and you may be on calcium tablets, as well as thyroxine, for the rest of your life.
After the operation your neck will feel stiff and you will have a sore throat. This is due to having a tube in your windpipe during the operation and the fact that the thyroid gland sits near to the voice box. Because of this you will find that you are a bit hoarse to begin with but this will quickly improve. If the recurrent laryngeal nerves have been bruised, the hoarseness will last longer, but will almost always recover on its own.
The scar heals quite quickly. Although it is often fairly red and can be quite thick initially, over a period of several months it settles down and becomes paler and thinner.
Oncology
Some patients who have surgery for thyroid cancer may need further treatment. This is decided when all the results of the specimens taken at operation have been fully analysed. In some cases this will involve treatment with radioactive iodine under the care of one of their expert Consultant Oncologists, who will discuss the treatment fully before it starts.
Payment and costs
A written estimate of the surgeon’s fees is provided before the operation. Patients who are insured are advised to contact their insurers prior to admission to check their cover for hospital and medical fees.
Procedures performed in the treatment rooms are subject to a hospital charge as well as the consultant’s fees. These charges have been agreed with all the major UK medical insurance companies and does not affect the out-patient allowance.
Inclusive packages for uninsured patients are available on request. The inclusive package fee covers the cost of surgery, anaesthesia and hospitalisation. Payment is required in advance of the operation.
