UCSF

Thyroidectomy is a procedure that removes either part of or the entire thyroid gland. There are several reasons why a surgeon would remove the thyroid gland, including cancer, benign conditions or hyperfunctioning glands. While the classic thyroidectomy involves several key manoeuvres that are anatomically based, surgeons who routinely perform this procedure often have minor variations or 'tricks' that help facilitate the safe completion of this operation. The technique for thyroidectomy outlined in this chapter describes a basic safe approach while simultaneously imparting simple 'tricks and tips' that will allow the surgeon to evade unwanted intraoperative challenges. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.