We want to tell you about these operations, which allow deleting parts of a thyroid gland without making scars on your neck.
What function does a thyroid gland have?
It secretes hormones, which are necessary for each cell’s work. People can’t live without these hormones, therefore when the gland doesn’t secret them in sufficient quantity, they must be systematically filled.
What anomalies of a thyroid gland force you to consult a doctor?
Most often, it happens during the dysfunction of a thyroid gland, and when a non-cancerous or cancerous growth occurs. As for the function, this is about:
- Hyperfunction of a thyroid gland when it secretes too many hormones. It leads to an increased heart rate, excessive sweating, tremor, and sleep issues…
- Hypofunction of a thyroid gland when it doesn’t secrete enough hormones. It leads to energy loss, chill, and fatigue… Very often nodules are found incidentally as they have no symptoms. In most cases, a doctor in charge sends patients to us when he has suspicions after palpation or during the treatment of another disease. In most cases these nodules are non-cancerous.
What check-up needs to be undergone to know is it a cancerous or non-cancerous growth?
It is worth beginning with an echography and a dosage of TSH that allows estimating the function of a thyroid gland. When a nodule is less than 1 centimeter, it is enough just to keep an eye on it. If it is more than 1 centimeter, it is better to undergo surgery. “Check-up in one day” is a very convenient innovation: patients have their results during the day, and if it is necessary, they can visit the surgeon and plan their operation on the same day before they come back home.
When is surgery necessary and what is the classical protocol of treatment?
It is usually necessary to remove a gland partially or completely. The surgeon makes a cut on your neck from 4 to 8 centimeters in size according to the nodule’s size. The operation is performed under a general anesthetic and usually lasts for an hour during the removal of one part and two hours during the removal of the whole gland.
“Today the cut is more often made not on the neck but behind an ear”
What danger does a cancer nodule possess without surgery?
There are two forms of thyroid gland cancer.
- Microcancer is less than 1 centimeter; there is practically no danger of evolution in size.
- Others, in principle, evolve rather slowly, but in certain cases can take the neighboring organs (a throat, an esophagus) and extend to lymph glands in the neck and even in the remote organs..
What are the results of standard thyroid gland operations?
They are very satisfactory: from 90 to 95% of patients recover, but the scar remains visible and reminds us of cancer, which each person wants to forget as quickly as possible.
What new equipment is used to avoid a scar on the neck?
It is all about the surgical equipment, as the surgeon works with a robot helper, during which the cut is made not on the neck but behind an ear. The operator sitting at the panel directs the robot’s movements. The movements of the robot are done much more precisely, compared to the surgeon’s hands, and the powerful camera allows improving the visibility during the operation. Our team is only in Europe, which does such thyroid gland operations. Colleagues can come to us to improve their skills.
What results are achieved with the use of robotic surgery?
They surpass classical surgery in many respects both in the results and in the rehabilitation. Now, we are conducting research on 188 patients who had a thyroid gland cancer tumor of fewer than 4 centimeters. We will keep an eye on them for a year and report about results later.
