Focus on the thyroid gland - diseases and treatments
Dr. med. Stephan Müller
September 1, 2023
4 min
Dr Müller, you have performed over 1000 thyroid operations. What fascinates you about it?
Operations on the thyroid gland fascinate me because they are anatomically interesting and technically demanding. It requires a very good and gentle surgical technique. Experience is very important. Technical aids increase the safety and quality of the operations. For good surgical planning, interdisciplinary collaboration with a very experienced ultrasound examiner of the thyroid gland is a must.
For which clinical pictures is thyroid surgery indicated?
Large visible goitres - enlarged thyroid glands with or without nodules - are a common reason for thyroid surgery. It is not always necessary to remove the entire thyroid gland. Nodules on the thyroid gland can be malignant, in which case they are referred to as thyroid cancer. With timely and correct treatment, thyroid cancer can almost always be cured.
Surgery may also be indicated in cases of severe hyperthyroidism. If the hyperthyroidism cannot be controlled with medication or radioactive iodine treatment, it may be necessary to remove the thyroid gland.
What questions do patients have before a thyroid operation?
During the information session before every thyroid operation, all topics relating to the operation and follow-up treatment are discussed. There are almost always questions about vocal cord nerve paralysis, although this rarely occurs. Sometimes there is temporary hoarseness after thyroid surgery, which usually disappears within a few days.
0/0
A dysfunction of the parathyroid glands after thyroid surgery is rarely mentioned by patients. The hormone parathyroid hormone produced in the parathyroid glands is important for calcium-phosphate metabolism in interaction with the bones and kidneys.
Can you live without a thyroid gland?
You can live without a thyroid gland, but not without thyroid hormones. They are indispensable for controlling the metabolism. As a substitute, thyroid hormones can be taken as tablets without any relevant side effects or other disadvantages.
0/0
Weitere Beiträge
Counsellor
Understanding panic attacks: What triggers them and how to counter them
Panic attacks are like sudden storms in the soul - they strike unexpectedly, unleashing a wave of intense fear and often leaving confusion and uncertainty in their wake. But what exactly is a panic attack, how are they diagnosed and treated, and what can sufferers do to deal with them? To delve deeper into this topic, we spoke to Dr Ruedi Schweizer, Medical Director of our Centre for Mental Health.
Counsellor
Can psycho-oncological support improve the chances of recovery or the quality of life of breast cancer patients?
In psycho-oncological topics, you and your relatives will be accompanied through all phases of the illness by experienced psychologists specialising in psychotherapy and specialists in psychiatry and psychotherapy. In this way, we can provide relief, give courage and open up new perspectives. Dr Ruedi Schweizer, our expert in psycho-oncology and Medical Director of the Centre for Mental Health, explains in the following video.
Counsellor
Focus on women's health: An interview with Dr Julia Graf, specialist in gynaecology and obstetrics
On International Women's Day, we would like to focus on women's health. To this end, we met with Dr Julia Graf, an experienced specialist in gynaecology and obstetrics and senior physician at the Women's Clinic, to talk about various aspects of women's health.