para>This is an image of a woman with the voice box, thyroid gland, and wind pipe labeled in the neck as she looks up. There is a callout showing half of the thyroid gland has been removed.View Original
This is an image of a woman with the voice box, thyroid gland, and wind pipe labeled in the neck as she looks up. There is a callout showing half of the thyroid gland has been removed.
View Original
This is a series of images showing how to care for your wound. They include washing your hands, having the doctor take out your stitches or staples, not removing the small pieces of tape over the wound, taking care of your dressing, and watching for signs of infection like pus or redness around the wound.
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This is a series of images showing how to care for your wound. They include washing your hands, having the doctor take out your stitches or staples, not removing the small pieces of tape over the wound, taking care of your dressing, and watching for signs of infection like pus or redness around the wound.
View Original
What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do. Talk to your doctor about:
- How to take care of your cut site. Ask about when you need to change the bandage. Be sure to wash your hands before touching your wound or dressing.
- When you may shower or bathe
- When you may go back to your normal activities
- What kind of cream, lotion, or make up is safe to use on your site when it is healed
- If you need to use extra sunscreen to protect your skin in the sun
- Take your drug for pain 30 minutes before meals to help make swallowing easier. Try eating only soft foods for a few days, such as jello, pudding, baby food, and applesauce. Stay away from foods that scratch the throat.
- Sleep with your head raised up for a week after the surgery. This will help with swelling.
- Place an ice pack or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel over the painful part. Never put ice right on the skin. Do not leave the ice on more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time. This will help the pain.
What follow-up care is needed?
- Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits.
- If you have stitches or staples, you will need to have them taken out. Your doctor will often want to do this in 7 to 10 days.
- Your doctor may send you to a special doctor called an endocrinologist. This kind of doctor takes care of patients who need hormone replacement.
- You will need periodic blood tests to monitor and adjust your hormone treatment.
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help with pain. You may feel pain in your neck for a few days.
- Hormone to replace the work of the thyroid
What problems could happen?
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Scarring
- Injury to other glands near the thyroid
- Trouble breathing
- Change in voice. This is rare.
- Too much thyroid hormone released. This is rare.
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Signs of infection such as fever over 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) and chills
- Signs of wound infection. These include swelling, redness, warmth around the cut site; too much pain when touched; yellowish, greenish, or bloody discharge; foul smell coming from the cut site; cut site opens up.
- Numbness around the lips or other parts of the body
- Problems moving the lips or opening and closing your mouth
- Muscle twitching
- Problems with tiredness
- Trouble swallowing, talking, or breathing
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my procedure.
- I can tell you how to care for my cut site.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have fever, swelling, redness, or warmth around my wound.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have numbness or tingling around my mouth, or in my arms or fingertips or my muscles are twitching.
Where can I learn more?
American College of Endocrinology ‚
http://empoweryourhealth.org/magazine/vol3_issue3/your-doctor-recommended-thyroid-surgery-now-what ‚
Last Reviewed Date
2015-01-23 ‚
List_set bdysylist
- Adult
- Endocrine and Metabolic
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care provider 's advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2016 Wolters Kluwer Clinical Drug Information, Inc. and its affiliates and/or licensors. All rights reserved. ‚