Thyroidectomy

Surgery to remove all or part of the thyroid gland is called thyroidectomy. The thyroid surgeons at Henry Ford Health use thyroidectomy to treat many types of thyroid disorders.

A total or partial thyroidectomy may be the most effective treatment for conditions including:

• Hyperthyroidism
• Thyroid cancer
• Thyroid goiter
• Thyroid nodules

Types of thyroidectomy we perform

At Henry Ford, our thyroid surgeons are experts at all types of thyroid surgery. After evaluating your condition, they use their expertise to create a customized surgical treatment.

In most cases, we can use minimally invasive methods. Because these techniques involve small incisions and less trauma to the neck, you heal quickly and have minimal scarring. Most of our minimally invasive thyroid surgeries are outpatient procedures, meaning you can go home the same day.

Depending on your needs, you may have:

• Standard thyroidectomy: A traditional thyroid surgery requires a two-inch incision at the base of your neck. This may be the best option for patients with large thyroid nodules, goiters or tumors.
• Minimally invasive video-assisted thyroidectomy (MIVAT): Our thyroid surgeons are some of the only doctors in the United States who perform this advanced endoscopic thyroidectomy. We insert an endoscope (a thin tube) through a tiny hole in the neck. The endoscope has a light and a high-definition video camera that provides detailed images of the thyroid, nerves, blood vessels and other important structures.
• Re-operative thyroidectomy: For most people, a thyroidectomy successfully treats thyroid disease. But in some cases — especially with thyroid cancer — thyroid disease can return after treatment. Re-operative thyroid surgery is complex and requires a skilled hand. Our thyroid surgeons have specialized training to effectively treat recurrent thyroid cancer.