This information is especially for patients who will undergo surgery.
Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery
What to Expect and How to Prepare for Your Operation
There are several ways to treat Parathyroid disease. If your doctor determines that your overactive parathyroid gland may be treated with the minimally invasive approach:
- The morning of your operation you will go to Nuclear Medicine and have an injection of a radioactive substance (sestamibi) to help localize the specific overactive gland in the operating room.
- Before your operation you may have a catheter placed into your artery to monitor levels of parathyroid hormone during your operation.
How to Prepare for Surgery
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Remember: |
Things to Remember
- Do NOT take any aspirin or aspirin-like products for two weeks before your operation. (See attached sheet for more information.)
- Depending on what surgical technique is used, most people go home the day after their operation.
- Dou will need someone to drive you home from the hospital.
24 Hours Before Your Operation
Things to Do
- Shower: Using the antibacterial soap your nurse gave you, shower and soap your body. Do NOT use the antibacterial soap on your face and hair. (See directions attached to the soap bottle.) Use your own soap and shampoo on your face and hair. Use clean towels to dry off and put on clean clothing.
- Arrival time: The pre-surgery
nurse will call you by 5:00 p.m. the night before your operation.
If you are having surgery on Monday, the nurse will call you the
Friday before your operation. If you do not hear from the nurse
by 5:00 p.m., please call 206-598-6334.
The pre-surgery nurse will tell you when to come to the hospital and will also remind you: - To not eat or drink after a certain time
- To have someone drive you home
- Whether or not to take your regular medications. You
should take high-blood-pressure,
thyroid and seizure medications the day of your surgery. Use only enough water to
swallow your pills.
What to Expect After Surgery
Precautions and Self-Care to Speed Your
Recovery
Medicine given during and after your operation will affect you.
For 24 hours after your surgery do not:
- Drive or travel alone
- Operate machinery
- Drink alcohol
- Sign any legal papers
- Be responsible for the care of another person
Incision
You will have an incision across the lower part of your neck. After
your operation you will have a dressing covering your incision.
After you remove your dressing you should look at your incision
daily. You are watching for any sign of infection (listed on the
back of the pamphlet), or the development of a large lump.
Dressing
One or two days after your operation you may remove your dressing
and shower. Do not remove the steri-strip tape along your incision.
The steri-strip will be removed at your next visit. After you shower,
pat your incision dry and leave it open to the air.
Pain Management
Use extra-strength Tylenol® or the pain medicine your doctor
prescribed for you.
Low Calcium Symptoms
After thyroid or parathyroid surgery, you may have a temporary decrease
in your blood calcium level. The first symptoms of this may be:
tingling around your mouth, or tingling of your fingertips, or toes.
You may also experience twitching. Take Tums as you were instructed
to. If symptoms occur, take an extra dose of 2-3 Tums. If the symptoms
are not relieved then call the Nurse Advice Line.
Activity
After your operation your neck will feel stiff. It is important
that you turn your head slowly when you need to. Because of this
you should not drive until you can turn your head without pain,
and without using narcotic pain medicine.
Work
Most people take one to two weeks off of work to recover.
Questions?Contact Surgical Specialties Nurse
Advice Line: |
Call the Nurse Advice Line or Your Doctor If:
- You have trouble breathing.
- You have swelling of your neck or trouble swallowing.
- You have bleeding that soaks your dressing.
- Your temperature is greater than 100°F or 38°C, or if you have chills.
- You have any sign of infection: redness, increased pain, swelling, foul-smelling drainage, or increase in the amount of drainage from your wound.
- You are sick to your stomach and throwing up.
- You have concerns that cannot wait until your follow-up visit.