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Strumectomy is the former name of a thyroidectomy, which is a procedure to remove the thyroid gland. It is most often used in the case of partial or almost total thyroidectomy. The thyroid gland is located within the neck, therefore all operations related to this organ require the surgeon to be very careful and precise.
Thyroid strumectomy it is the most frequently performed procedure of all endocrine surgeries. And although the hormones produced by the thyroid gland are necessary for life, any nodular changes, often associated with the hyperfunction of this gland, and the risk of a cancerous tumor, make this procedure relatively frequent, but it requires the patient to take pharmacological supplementation, often for the rest of your life.
Thyroid strumectomy – indications
The most common symptom of thyroid disease is the appearance of a goiter, or in other words, an increase in the volume of the thyroid gland. The vast majority of such lesions are nodular in nature. In the thyroid gland, there are fluid-filled nodules, single or multiple. Any suspicions of such changes are an indication for thyroid testing. Nodular goiter may compress the patient’s airways, and indications for surgical intervention on the thyroid gland are divided into urgent (pressure on the trachea, superior vena cava syndrome and swallowing problems) and planned (split goitre, mediastinal goitre, malignant lesions and high serum calcitonin levels). The indication may also be aesthetics or the inability to treat thyroid diseases with thyroxine. Strumectomy It is also performed in the case of complicated hyperthyroidism and in the absence of satisfactory results of pharmacological treatment.
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Thyroid strumectomy – complications
To perform the procedure Stratectomy of the thyroid gland, perfect knowledge of the structure of organs in the neck area is essential. Such an operation requires a lot of concentration, precision and accuracy from the doctor. Complications after strumectomy can be common and similar to all other surgical operations. These are usually infections, haemorrhages and postoperative hematomas. To minimize the risk of these complications, post surgery strumektomii is routinely performed Redon suction drainagewhich allows you to suck off any fluid build-up and control any ligated vessels during surgery.
A specific complication after streptectomy surgery there is intense intraoperative bleeding. This is because the blood flow through the thyroid gland is very fast, and hyperactive goiter can increase it several times. Another complication the recurrent laryngeal nerve may be damaged or completely cut, which may cause permanent or temporary paralysis of the vocal fold, which reduces its tone and mobility (this is manifested by severe hoarseness or recurrent cough). Fortunately, this complication is very rare. If both nerves are damaged during the procedure, airflow through the larynx may be blocked after the endotracheal tube is pulled out. In this case, a tracheostomy may be required.
An extremely dangerous complication, though fortunately rare, is the inadvertent removal of the parathyroid glands. These are small glands and they are responsible for the secretion of compounds that maintain an adequate level of calcium in the body. Their identification may not be possible in the case of neoplastic growth or in the case of large goitre. After parathyroidectomy, tetany may appear (muscle spasms, bronchospasms, coronary pain, limb ischemia, cerebral circulation disorders, sensory disturbances). Treatment of such a complication is based on administering calcium to the patient, and its level stabilizes after several months.
Thyroid Strumectomy – Checks After Surgery
If the reason for the complete removal of the thyroid organ was due to diseases other than neoplastic diseases, the patient should see an endocrinologist every six months and undergo examinations recommended by the doctor. Removal of the thyroid gland in any case, it results in hypothyroidism, so it is necessary to take thyroid hormones in the form of tablets for the rest of your life. To assess the patient’s health, blood hormone analysis is needed, but if only part of the thyroid gland has been excised, it may turn out that the hormone levels are normal, and additional hormone intake will then turn out to be unnecessary.
The second examination performed after surgery Stratectomy of the thyroid gland is to control the level of calcitonin. It is a thyroid hormone responsible for the regulation of calcium and phosphate metabolism and it influences bone metabolism. The parathyroid glands, small glands near the thyroid gland, can be damaged in the process streptectomy surgeryand their functioning may be temporarily disturbed. If they are permanently damaged, anti-osteoporosis therapy is required and lasts a lifetime.