At the recent American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Foundation annual meeting, groundbreaking information for thyroid patients was reported. Patients who have a thyroidectomy -- surgery to remove the thyroid -- can actually have a much smaller incision (and therefore, a smaller scar), than previously used for traditional, open surgery.The lead study author Dr. Nilesh Vasan has said "Physicians in private practice or those who are not equipped to do endoscopic surgical thyroidectomies can still perform thyroidectomies with very small incisions safely and with results that are aesthetically pleasing to their patients."
About Thyroid Surgery Incisions and Scars
Typically, when you have a traditional, open surgery, doctors make an incision of 6 to 8 centimeters (cm) (2 1/2 to 3 inches). Surgeons who do endoscopic thyroid surgery typically use a very small incision of around 2 cm (about 3/4 of an inch). Given training and equipment, however, only about 10-15% of patients are able to get endoscopic thyroidectomy.
In the study, Dr. Vasan looked at using small incisions for open, nonendoscopic surgery. What he found was that he was able to substantially reduce the incision length for all his patients during the study period, to an average of only 5.13 centimeters (2 inches), and in half the patients, the incision was actually less than 4 cm or less (1.6 inches).
Source: What Can Determine the Length of a Thyroidectomy Incision? Abstract S156, Online
I had a non-endoscopic total thyroidectomy (without dissection) on August 18 due to papillary thyroid carcinoma. Six weeks post-op, my scar is less than 1 3/4 inches–not the smallest possible, but significantly smaller than what I was expecting.
I did not have a conversation about incision size with the surgeon in advance, figuring that the incision would be whatever it had to be to get the job done. I must say, this has been a (unfortunately, one of far too few!) pleasant surprises in my health-care journey.
Thank you for the “heads up” on this subject!
I had MIRP(minimally invasive radioguided parathyroid) surgery in August 2008. I also had a large mass in my thyroid gland. It was removed through an incision that was less than 1 1/2 inches wide. This was performed by Dr. James Norman of Norman parathyroid clinic. The surgery took 25 minutes and I was out of the hospital in less than 2 hours.
I had a total thyroidectomy in December 2007. My scar is barely visible. I believe it was due to the wonderful surgeon I had (Dr. David Kessler, Silverdale WA)!!!
dear Mary
I am hypothyroid too,I have been following your articles for a really long time and I truely feel releived to be understood.Have you heard about a yogic breathing exercise called Pranayama,they say if practised correctly ,it can help to reactivate glands.Its worth invesigating.
I just read your artical on “accepting” how your thyroid is and the good things that have come from it.
I DONT WANT to accep how I am now. There has been NOTHING GOOD come from my thyroid problems. Like you I have Hashimoto’s. I have major skin problems. I gained a tremendous amount of weight, that will NOT come off. I have had a ttl thyroidectomy x 13 yrs ago. I am not better.
Why can’t Drs. fix us? What studies are going on for people like us? Can I participate in one?
To suggest that we live with it, is not an option. I want to be more like what I used to be….I liked that person.
I had a near total thyroidectomy a year ago due to a huge nodule, cancer, and late stage Hashi’s. The surgeon told me my thyroid was a “sticky mass”. My scar is 1 1/2 inches and nearly invisible. I am 70 so it blends in well with the rest of my neck wrinkles. More than once when I have told another doctor I had a TT they look at my neck and say “where?”.
A month prior to surgery I stopped smoking to improve circulation (a good move, I never resumed) and since surgery apply a CQ10 skin cream at least twice a day. I believe there are good scar creams out there but this worked for me. Living in SoCal I also keep the sun totally off my neck. The one time I didn’t my neck tanned but the scar did not and for a few days was more visible.
sure it can be done…my surgery was 21 years ago and the scar is un-noticble to people until i point it out.
I had surgery by Dr. Alen Cohen in Los Angeles for a thyroid nodule and my incision was only 1.5 inches and I left 6 hours later to go home doing well. The scar can barely be seen now only 2 months out.
I also had thyroid surgery by Dr. Alen Cohen in Los Angeles for papillary thyroid cancer and I have to say he is by far the best surgeon on the West Coast for thyroid surgery. I went to UCLA, Cedars and UCSF and didn’t like all the residents and fellows doing the surgery. Everything is done by Dr. Cohen from beginning to end and he is great at treating the patient. I can’t say enough about Dr. Cohen.
Hi Drew & Nicole,
The only Dr. Allen Cohen in Los Angeles, CA that I found was an Anesthesiologist, not a surgeon. What other doctors were involved? Who is your Endocriniologist? I don’t want to invade your privacy, but my wife is sufferring from a botched radio-active iodince proceedure from 10 years ago, and she desperately needs someone competant to remove what’s left of her thyroid gland! No one has been able to regulate it using medication and her condition has lasted so long that her entire hormone balance is off, which has lead to depression. No medications have helped her with that either, but the only treatment left -ECT – can not be administered until her thyroid is corrected! AARRGGGHHHH!
Any help you can offer is greatly appreicated!
Dr. Alen Cohen
Otolaryngology
Head & Neck Surgery
7345 Medical Center Dr
West Hills, CA
Dr. Alen Cohen
Phone # 818-888-7878
He also did my thyroid surgery and is the best in L.A. 3 months since my surgery and I can barely see a scar.