After Thyroid Surgery
What happens after thyroid surgery?
During the first 24 hours:
After surgery, you may have a drain (tiny piece of plastic tubing), which prevents fluid and blood from building up in the wound. This is removed after the fluid accumulation has stabilized, usually within 24 hours after surgery. Most patients are discharged later the same day or the next day. Complications are rare but may include:
- Bleeding
- Bleeding under the skin that rarely can cause shortness of breath, requiring immediate medical evaluation
- A hoarse voice
- Difficulty swallowing
- Numbness of the skin on the neck
- Vocal cord paralysis
- Low blood calcium
At home:
Following the procedure, if it is determined that you need to take any medication, your surgeon will discuss this with you prior to your discharge. Medications may include:
- Thyroid hormone replacement
- Calcium and/or vitamin D replacement
Some symptoms may not become evident for two or three days after surgery. If you experience any of the following, call your surgeon or seek medical attention:
- Numbness and tingling around the lips and hands
- Increasing pain
- Fever
- Swelling
- Wound discharge
- Shortness of breath
If a malignancy is identified, thyroid replacement medication may be withheld for several weeks. This allows a radioactive scan to better detect any remaining microscopic thyroid tissue, or spread of malignant cells to lymph nodes or other sites in the body.
© 2017 American Academy of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery