surgery (thyroidectomy)

A thyroidectomy is a surgical procedure to remove part or all of the thyroid gland, a butterfly-shaped organ in the neck that produces hormones regulating metabolism. It is commonly performed to treat thyroid cancer, large goiters, or hyperthyroidism. During the procedure, a surgeon makes an incision in the neck, carefully removes the affected tissue, and then closes the incision. The surgery often requires a short hospital stay, and patients may need hormone replacement therapy afterward if the entire gland is removed. The goal is to eliminate disease while preserving the function of nearby structures like nerves and parathyroid glands.