Contact us for an Appointment
info@nctansurgery.sg
Contact us for an Appointment
+ 65 6443 8802
info@nctansurgery.sg
Learn more about Thyroid & Parathyroid and other symptoms,
and how it can be treated here at NC TAN Surgery.
Lumps in the Thyroid
Thyroid Gland
The thyroid gland is a small butterfly-shaped gland located at the front of the neck just below the Adam’s apple. It produces a thyroid hormone, thyroxine, which regulates metabolism in the body.
Thyroid Nodules
Thyroid nodules are lumps in the thyroid gland that occur between 5 – 8% of the general population. These nodules often do not cause symptoms and many of them are found incidentally during an unrelated medical consultation or routine health screening. Thyroid nodules can be solid, cystic (collection of fluid) or a combination of solid and cystic.
Thankfully, only 5 to 10% of these nodules are cancerous or malignant in nature.
To ascertain the nature of thyroid nodules, the following investigations are usually necessary.
1. Ultrasound Scan.
This is a non-invasive, non-ionising radiation form of imaging which is the preferred imaging modality for thyroid nodules.
2. Thyroid Function Test.
This is a blood test where the levels of your thyroid hormone (FT4) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) are measured.
3. Fine-needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC).
This is not indicated for all thyroid nodules.
It is a form of biopsy where a small needle is passed into the lump in the thyroid gland and cells are extracted for analysis by a pathologist.
Signs & symptoms
Indications for surgery
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Thyroid cancer.
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Thyroid nodules that are indeterminate or suspicious of cancer after investigations.
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Thyroid nodules that cause compressive symptoms (e.g. difficulty in swallowing, difficulty in breathing).
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Hyperthyroidism (overproduction of thyroid hormones that has failed medical therapy).
Treatment
Thyroid Surgery (Thyroidectomy)
This is done to remove the thyroid gland and can be performed very safely. The surgical risk of permanent voice damage is less than 1% when performed by an experienced thyroid or head & neck surgeon.
The recovery for thyroid surgery is generally very speedy, needing only 1 to 2 days in-hospital stay, with most patients eating and speaking normally a day after surgery.
Parathyroid Disorders
Parathyroid Glands
The parathyroid glands are found next to the thyroid gland. There are usually four of them, two on each side and each of them is about the size of a pea. Parathyroid glands make parathyroid hormone (PTH), which regulates calcium metabolism. Calcium metabolism is responsible for the level of calcium in the blood, and this is important for the functioning of muscles and nerves.
Disorder of Parathyroid Glands
The most common disorder of parathyroid glands is the overproduction of PTH also known as hyperparathyroidism. The overproduction of PTH is most commonly caused by a non-cancerous tumour in one or more parathyroid glands. Malignancy is very rare.
Signs & symptoms
Indications for surgery
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Thyroid cancer.
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Thyroid nodules that are indeterminate or suspicious of cancer after investigations.
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Thyroid nodules that cause compressive symptoms (e.g. difficulty in swallowing, difficulty in breathing).
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Hyperthyroidism (overproduction of thyroid hormones that has failed medical therapy).
Treatment
The treatment of hyperparathyroidism is usually done in conjunction with an Endocrinologist (doctor specialised in hormonal disorders).
Special imaging modalities such as Sestamibi or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) are usually required.
The most common treatment for hyperparathyroidism is the surgical removal or excision of the pathological gland or glands responsible for the overactivity. Surgery can provide a permanent cure and is successful in up to 98% of cases.