If you suspect you're dealing with a thyroid condition or are in need of thyroid surgery, you may have many questions. How much of the thyroid will be removed? What complications come with thyroid surgery? Will there be a scar?
You are not alone. These questions are natural and common, and the medical staff at the Hospital for Endocrine Surgery, a part of HCA Florida South Tampa Hospital, is here to guide you through the process.
Our experienced surgeons are supported by exceptional teams of thyroid ultrasound technicians and thyroid pathologists. They work together to diagnose and treat your condition with a treatment plan personalized to your needs.
Thyroid conditions we treat
We treat many conditions that affect your thyroid, including:
Thyroid nodules
Thyroid nodules are lumps or growths within the thyroid gland. Thyroid nodules are fairly common, but are more common in women and increase in prevalence with age.
Thyroid cancer
There are five types of thyroid cancer, and surgery is the primary means of treatment for all of them. Most thyroid cancers are very treatable when the surgeon removes all the cancerous areas.
The five types of thyroid cancer are:
- Anaplastic thyroid cancer
- Follicular thyroid cancer
- Hürthle cell thyroid cancer
- Medullary thyroid cancer
- Papillary thyroid cancer
Parathyroid gland tumors
Our expert surgeons also treat parathyroid gland tumors, which typically cause hyperparathyroidism. This is a complicated condition that can lead to a wide range of symptoms, but it is highly treatable when properly diagnosed and treated.
Our thyroid services
We know even though the thyroid is a "small" part of your body, thyroid conditions are not small at all. They impact your life in real and negative ways, and you deserve an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment to help you heal and recover.
How we diagnose thyroid conditions
Although we offer a range of testing services, including standard blood work, the primary ways we will diagnose your thyroid condition include:
Thyroid ultrasounds
Usually used to diagnose thyroid nodules and cancer. Our thyroid technicians are experienced in this type of imaging and will use it to carefully "map" your thyroid and neck lymph nodes. This enables your surgeon to get a close, detailed look at your thyroid and make an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.
Thyroid biopsies
We will look even more closely at thyroid nodules that are suspicious or may be thyroid cancer. In these cases, we will use a needle biopsy of the nodule (or nodules). This will be done in the ultrasound suite with just a little bit of local anesthesia.
You'll work directly with pathologists who have fellowship training in endocrine pathology. As part of our dedication to ensuring you have quick, but effective care, they will typically have your biopsy results in under one hour.
Treatments for thyroid conditions
Typically, thyroid surgeons at our facility perform thyroid surgery exclusively. For example, most of our parathyroid surgeons perform only parathyroid surgery.
Thyroid surgery
Thyroid nodules, goiters and cancers are extremely variable, which is why we offer a range of different surgical options to treat these issues. This includes both traditional and minimally invasive thyroid surgeries.
Our expert analysis of your thyroid and neck lymph nodes allows our highly experienced thyroid surgeons to develop the right treatment plan for you. They ensures you get the best surgery and care for your situation.
Robotic and "scarless" thyroid surgery
Removing a thyroid nodule or cancer without making a neck scar is not a technique offered everywhere. We are proud to be one of the few hospitals in the U.S. that does offer it. By using advanced robot-assisted technology and minimally invasive techniques, surgeons at our facility can remove thyroid glands, goiters and many cancers without leaving a neck scar of any kind.