Preparing for Thyroid Surgery

Prior to surgery, you will need to have a pre-surgical evaluation to be sure you are healthy enough to undergo surgery. This evaluation is done by our perioperative prep center or your primary care physician. You will have blood work done and depending on your age and/or medical history may need other testing, such as an EKG or chest x-ray.

If you have a history of significant cardiac or pulmonary conditions, you may need to get clearance from your medical specialist to continue with surgery.

Other Tests

The surgeon my need additional evaluations related to your specific thyroid or parathyroid condition to help plan for your surgery. These may include:

• Ultrasound - A thyroid ultrasound is a painless study that uses sound waves to create an image of the thyroid.
• Fine Needle Aspiration - A fine needle is used to remove cells out of a thyroid nodule. These cells are used to differentiate a benign nodule from a malignant nodule.
• Fiber-Optic Laryngoscopy - vocal cord evaluation - This is done by using a (small tube with a camera on the end) and allows the surgeon to determine how well your vocal cords are working. This evaluation is usually necessary if you have developed a hoarse voice or you have had previous neck surgery.
• CAT scan of the neck and chest - A CAT scan may be done to evaluate if a large thyroid is pushing on the trachea or growing down into the chest area.
• Sestamibi Scan - This nuclear medicine scan is used to localize diseased parathyroid glands prior to surgery.

View information about the risks of surgery and what to expect after surgery.

More Information

For more information, please call our office at 410-328-6187.