Thyroid disorders include hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism and normal thyroid function. Operations to treat thyroid disorders are among the 4th most common procedures in Germany. Around 100,000 of these operations are performed every year. However, not all thyroid diseases require surgical treatment. In some cases, drug therapy is sufficient.
Here you will find further information as well as selected specialists and centers for thyroid diseases.
The thyroid gland is one of the so-called endocrine, i.e. hormone-producing organs. It produces thyroid hormones, stores them and releases them into the body. Its activity is controlled by the diencephalon (hypothalamus) and the pituitary gland (hypophysis).
There are two thyroid hormones, triiodothyronine (T3) and tetraiodothyronine (T4). Of these, T3 is the metabolically active hormone. This affects the basic activity of every cell. For this reason, thyroid hormones are essential for survival. If they are missing over a long period of time, this leads to death.
Thyroid diseases can be classified according to the metabolic state. A distinction is made between
The very rare malignant thyroid tumors must be distinguished from these benign thyroid diseases.
The thyroid gland produces vital organs. It can be affected by various disorders © eddows | AdobeStock
The symptoms of thyroid disorders essentially depend on the metabolic state of the thyroid gland.
Hyperthyroidism leads to overactivity of all body cells. This manifests itself clinically as
In contrast, hypofunction causes
Furthermore, in thyroid diseases, a greatly enlarged thyroid gland can lead to local symptoms such as
can occur.
Not every thyroid disease requires surgical treatment. In some cases, drug therapy is sufficient. Alternative treatment methods (radio-iodine therapy) are available in selected cases.
Thyroid surgery is indicated in the following cases:
Many clinics offer patients outpatient consultations. This means that they are examined and advised by a specialist.
The examination of the thyroid gland also includes an ultrasound scan. Once all the findings are available, the patient is informed about the possible treatment options. These include
If surgery is necessary, inpatient or pre-hospital treatment is available depending on the patient's personal risk profile.
Before treatment, an ENT examination should be carried out to check the vocal cord nerves.
At least 10 days before the operation, the patient must not take any anticoagulant medication such as
any more.
48 hours before the operation, the patient should stop taking diabetes medication from the biguanide group (e.g. Glucophage, Metformin, Mescorit).
In the case of pre-admission treatment, the patient should come to the clinic on the day of the operation with an empty stomach.
Thyroid gland surgery is always performed under general anesthesia.
The pathologically altered tissue is removed via a 3 to 5 cm incision in the neck. The aim is to achieve small and cosmetically attractive scars.
If changes are only found on one side, only the affected flap is removed (hermithyroidectomy). In the case of
the entire organ is removed (thyroidectomy). In the case of malignant thyroid tumors, depending on the type, the surrounding lymph nodes may also need to be removed.
The vocal cord nerves are also located close to the thyroid gland. In order not to impair the patient's voice, special attention must be paid to these during all thyroid operations. Surgeons monitor their function during the operation by means of so-called "neuro-monitoring".
This means that thyroid surgery can be performed more safely without damaging the important vocal cord nerves.
After the operation, the vocal cord nerves are checked by an ENT specialist on the 2nd to 3rd postoperative day.
The inpatient stay is usually 3 to 4 days. Depending on the results of the histological examinations and the operation performed, a lifelong administration of thyroid hormones may be necessary.
If thyroid tissue was left intact during the operation, it is recommended to take iodine tablets or an iodine/hormone combination preparation to prevent recurrence (formation of new nodules).
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