10/01/2020
Thyroid Thursday!! Today I had a full day of thyroid cases and, as an added bonus, with an all female team!
Now let’s learn a little bit about the thyroid gland.... swipe left for some thyroid pictures (warning the final picture is the real deal!)
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland that sits low on the front of the neck. Your thyroid lies below your Adam’s apple, along the front of the windpipe. The thyroid secretes several hormones, collectively called thyroid hormones. The main hormone is thyroxine, also called T4. Thyroid hormones act throughout the body, influencing metabolism, growth and development, and body temperature.
The thyroid comes in all shapes and sizes and there are many reasons why someone may need to have surgery on their thyroid.
* Goiter: A general term for thyroid swelling. Goiters can be harmless, or can represent iodine deficiency or a condition associated with thyroid inflammation. When very large, patients may experience symptoms of compression on the trachea or esophagus which may be an indication for surgery.
* Thyroiditis: Inflammation of the thyroid, usually from a viral infection or autoimmune condition. Thyroiditis can be painful, or have no symptoms at all.
* Hyperthyroidism: Excessive thyroid hormone production. Hyperthyroidism is most often caused by Graves disease or an overactive thyroid nodule.
* Hypothyroidism: Low production of thyroid hormone. Thyroid damage caused by autoimmune disease is the most common cause of hypothyroidism.
* Graves disease: An autoimmune condition in which the thyroid is overstimulated, causing hyperthyroidism.
* Thyroid cancer: The most common endocrine cancer, thyroid cancer is usually curable. Surgery, radiation, and hormone treatments may be used to treat thyroid cancer.
* Thyroid nodule: A small abnormal mass or lump in the thyroid gland. Thyroid nodules are extremely common and can be present in 50-75% of patients. Only 10-15% of these are cancerous. They may secrete excess hormones, causing hyperthyroidism, or cause no problems.