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The thyroid works as a motor and pacemaker for the entire organism. Both over- and under-function lead to significant health problems. Over the course of life, the structure of the thyroid gland can also change, in particular benign and malignant nodules may appear. A basic check-up is very easy with a blood sample and an ultrasound examination.
What examinations does the thyroid examination include?
Basic laboratory examination: TSH, fT3, fT4, calcitonin, PTH, calcium, vitamin D; If there are functional disorders of the thyroid or parathyroid gland, further findings are necessary. Ultrasound: Description of the size of the thyroid gland as well as the thyroid nodules and other abnormalities in the neck area (e.g. enlarged lymph nodes). Scintigraphy: If nodules are detected in the thyroid, scintigraphy provides information about their activity in comparison to the rest of the thyroid. Fine needle aspiration biopsy: A puncture can be useful to clarify lesions of the thyroid in more detail.
What examination do I need before the operation?
If a thorough examination of the thyroid gland shows that surgery is indicated, you will need the following examinations:
– Approval for surgery: Your family doctor or specialist in internal medicine will carry out the necessary examinations before the operation, including in particular a blood test, ECG and, for patients aged 40 and over, an X-ray of the lung.
– Laryngoscopy: The recurrent laryngeal nerve (the main nerve that controls the vocal cords) is located in the surgical area and a complication of thyroid surgery is injury to this nerve. The function of this nerve must therefore be checked by your ENT doctor using a laryngoscopy before and after the procedure.
– Preoperative anesthesiolocigal evaluation: Your anesthesiologist needs to get to know you before the procedure so that he can optimally tailor the anesthesia to your needs.
Will I gain weight after thyroid surgery?
After (part of) the thyroid is removed, the thyroid hormones are administered in the form of a tablet. The dosage depends on body weight and is fine-tuned based on the hormone levels in a blood sample taken 6-8 months after surgery. If the correct amount of hormone is substituted, your metabolism will be balanced and you will neither gain nor lose weight. However, it is important to take the tablet consistently in the morning half an hour before breakfast.