Thyroid Diseases

The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped organ at the front of the lower neck, lying in front of the windpipe (trachea). The hormones it produces regulate the body’s energy use, heart rate, body temperature and many other functions. Some of the problems that arise in this gland concern hormone balance, while others concern nodules and tumours that form within the gland; it is chiefly the latter that fall within the scope of head and neck surgery.

Thyroid nodules are very common, and the great majority are benign. Even so, it is important that every nodule is properly assessed, that suspicious ones are examined by biopsy and that they are removed surgically when necessary. Thyroid cancer, in turn, covers several types that arise from different cell types and differ in their course and treatment; papillary, follicular and medullary thyroid cancer are the principal ones, and each is covered on its own page in this section.

The pages in this section explain in plain language what a thyroid nodule is, when it is monitored and when it requires surgery, and the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of the types of thyroid cancer. A separate page describes how thyroid surgery is performed, what to expect in the postoperative period and what to pay attention to during recovery. The aim is to help you have a more informed conversation with your doctor during diagnosis and treatment.