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What You Should Know About Thyroid Cancer
In the United States and around the world, rates of thyroid cancer are increasing. Here's why this could be, along with other facts to know about this type of cancer.
Advanced Technologies for Thyroid Surgery
Thyroid surgery effectively treats many types of thyroid disorders. At Henry Ford Health, our providers perform a high volume of thyroid surgeries each year, continuously improving surgical techniques and using the latest technology available with a customized approach.
Here you can learn about our approach to thyroid surgery, what surgical techniques and technology we use, how to find your thyroid surgical care team and more.
Why choose Henry Ford Health for thyroid surgery?
Thyroid surgery should not be a one-size-fits-all procedure. At Henry Ford, we understand the importance of treating each patient as an individual.
Our thyroid experts evaluate every case to determine the most appropriate treatment. This results in a tailored surgery that helps each patient achieve their treatment goals.
More about what we provide:
When you come to Henry Ford for thyroid surgery, you can expect our thyroid surgeons to use the latest surgical technology. They perform minimally invasive procedures whenever possible to decrease pain and speed up the healing process.
Surgical technologies we use include:
- Nerve monitoring: The nerve that controls your voice box (larynx) runs directly behind the thyroid gland. Cutting or injuring that nerve is one of the main risks of thyroid surgery. We minimize that risk by using nerve monitoring technology during every thyroidectomy we perform. Your surgeon stimulates the nerve throughout surgery to monitor its function.
- Surgical energy devices: Traditional surgery involves sutures or stitches to tie off blood vessels during the procedure. By using energy devices to divide vessels and prevent bleeding, we can perform faster surgeries using much smaller incisions.
- Video assisted surgery: Minimally invasive video-assisted thyroidectomy (MIVAT) uses high-definition cameras to guide surgery. Our thyroid experts are among the only surgeons in the United States using this advanced technique.
What is a thyroidectomy?
Surgery to remove all or part of the thyroid gland is called thyroidectomy. The thyroid surgeons at Henry Ford Health use thyroidectomy to treat many types of thyroid disorders.
A total or partial thyroidectomy may be the most effective treatment for thyroid disorders, including:
- Hyperthyroidism
- Thyroid cancer
- Thyroid goiter
- Thyroid nodules
What types of thyroidectomies do we offer?
At Henry Ford Health, we work with you to help manage diabetes and teach you new, healthier ways to control your glucose with food, exercise and medicine.
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Minimally invasive thyroidectomy options
Our team offers many less-invasive alternatives to traditional thyroid surgery, including endoscopic thyroidectomy, also known as minimally invasive video-assisted thyroidectomy (MIVAT). Our doctors are some of the only surgeons in Michigan who perform this procedure.
How does endoscopic thyroidectomy work?
This procedure uses an endoscope, which is a thin tube that includes a light and a high-definition camera. A small incision is made in the patient’s neck and the endoscope is inserted through the opening.
The endoscope gives a very detailed view of the thyroid gland and many important structures that are near it, including the nerves to the larynx (voice box), the parathyroid glands and major blood vessels.Which thyroid disorders can it treat?
We use endoscopic thyroidectomy and other minimally invasive procedures to treat patients with a number of thyroid disorders, including:
- Hyperthyroidism
- Small thyroid goiters
- Thyroid cancer
- Thyroid nodules
What are the benefits of minimally invasive thyroidectomy?
- Can be performed under local anesthesia if patients prefer
- Faster recovery
- Less pain
- No need for sutures or drains
- Outpatient surgery in nearly all cases
- Reduced scarring after surgery
- Smaller incisions
Scar appearance one week after surgery
Scar appearance one month after surgery
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Re-operative thyroidectomy
Most thyroidectomies are successful in treating thyroid disorders. But conditions like thyroid cancer and thyroid goiters sometimes can return after being treated. Thyroid disease that returns after being treated is called recurrent thyroid disease.
If this happens, we may recommend a re-operative thyroidectomy. Re-operative thyroidectomy is a surgical treatment for patients with recurrent thyroid disease.
Potential challenges of re-operative thyroidectomy
Previous treatments for thyroid disease can make re-operative thyroidectomy more complicated than first-time treatments. A successful re-operative thyroidectomy requires close communication among the patient, surgeon, and endocrinologist, as well as precise surgical techniques. Fortunately, our doctors have specialized training in performing re-operative thyroidectomies.
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Robotic facelift thyroidectomy
Robotic facelift thyroidectomy is an alternative for patients who need to have thyroid-removal surgery. We’re one of just a small handful of programs in the United States that offer this procedure.
How does robotic facelift thyroidectomy work?
A traditional thyroidectomy requires a surgeon to make an incision on the front of the patient’s neck. In a robotic facelift thyroidectomy, the surgeon uses an advanced surgical robot to make an incision behind the patient’s ear, where it is less visible. The surgeon, who controls the robot during the entire procedure, then removes the patient’s thyroid gland through this incision.
What are the benefits of robotic facelift thyroidectomy?
Robotic facelift thyroidectomy is a safe alternative to traditional thyroid-removal surgery. Some of the procedure’s benefits include:
- Additional control and stability for the surgeon by using the surgical robot
- Hidden thyroidectomy scar after surgery
- Excellent option for patients with thyroid nodules and small thyroid goiters
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