Like all procedures, neck surgery comes with some inherent risk. In this article, we are going to talk about a handful of the most common neck surgery procedures, and whether or not these surgeries can have an unintentional impact on the thyroid.
Types of Neck Surgery
There are several types of neck surgery, including:
- Cervical Fusion Surgery
- Cervical Spinal Disc Replacement Surgery
- Cervical Decompression Surgery
- Cosmetic Neck Lift Surgery
- ENT Procedures such as the removal of tumors, nodes, and glands in the neck
Most of these procedures do not have anything to do with the thyroid. However, these surgeries require a lot of skill and precision to perform without error, and sometimes surgery make may negatively impact unintended structures.
Can Neck Surgery Impact the Thyroid?
Some neck surgery procedures (like a thyroidectomy) intentionally and directly impact the thyroid. But can some of these other types of neck procedures inadvertently impact the thyroid and cause it to malfunction?
All surgical procedures come with a certain level of risk. Thankfully many of these surgeries can now be done minimally invasively, which greatly reduces a patient’s risk and significantly improves success rates. Procedures in which the surgeon enters through the back of the neck typically don’t affect the thyroid glands at all. But if the surgeon is required to go in through the front of the neck, the risk of accidentally impacting the thyroid increases. The surgical trauma can cause the thyroid and surrounding structures to swell, or an infection could cause malfunction of the thyroid. In addition, the thyroid or parathyroid glands could become devascularized leading to malfunction.
If you are experiencing thyroid issues following a neck surgery procedure, contact your surgeon immediately and explain your symptoms. If you are in need of a subsequent thyroidectomy for any reason, make an appointment with a skilled and experienced general surgeon who specializes in the treatment of thyroid conditions.
