Most thyroidectomies are done in a hospital under general anesthesia. This means you will be asleep while doctors operate. The procedure may be performed by a general surgeon, a head and neck surgeon, an endocrine surgeon, or a surgical oncologist.
The surgeon will make a cut in the middle of your neck. Or, they will make smaller incisions on your neck or other area of your body, such as your armpit or inside your mouth.
With a standard thyroidectomy, surgeons will remove all or part of your thyroid gland via the incision in your neck. If you’re having an endoscopic or robotic procedure, the doctor will use special instruments and a video camera to perform the procedure with tiny incisions. With a transoral thyroidectomy, surgeons remove thyroid tissue through your mouth.
A catheter may be placed in the area to help drain blood and fluid.
Lastly, the surgeon will close the incisions with stitches.
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