The thyroid is a gland located in the front of the neck and releases hormones that help control many functions of the body.
The thyroid gland may contain nodules, benign or malignant tumors. Large benign tumors may cause airway compression and difficulty swallowing and may need to be removed whereas, malignant tumors may require partial or total thyroidectomy in addition to possible neck dissection depending on the
type and stage of the tumor.
A specialized thyroid multidisciplinary team discusses patients with thyroid nodules or tumors in order to offer the best therapy. Our North American and European Board Certified expert otolaryngologists have extensive experience in the surgical management of thyroid disorders in addition to
complimentary neck procedures that may be required.
Diagnosis
Some cases of thyroid disease can be difficult to diagnose as symptoms may resemble those of other conditions. Our highly trained physicians analyze the patient’s medical history and perform diagnostic tests to reach an accurate diagnosis. These may include:
- Blood tests
- Thyroid scan
- Thyroid ultrasound
- CT scan, MRI in certain instances
- Flexible fiberoptic laryngoscopy to assess vocal cord function (pre & post-operative)
Treatments
Surgical management of selected thyroid diseases and tumors includes partial or total thyroidectomy, mediastinal and substernal dissection, as well as neck and paratracheal dissection. Some patients may require additional therapy, such as radioactive iodine and other treatments.
Expertise is available in the surgical and medical management of voice disorders that can result from thyroid tumors. This includes voice therapy, vocal cord medialization, and injections.
