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Hover over the question to see the answer. 

Does thyroid surgery carry the risk of complications?

All surgeries carry a risk of complications, but these risks have been greatly reduced with advances in modern medicine which have made thyroid surgery extremely safe.

Serious complications such as hematomas have become exceptional when this operation is carried out by a trained team.

Complications like a  voice changes and calcium balance disorders are possible and must be monitored by your surgeon to limit the effects.

Why can my voice be changed by thyroid surgery?

The thyroid gland is located in front of the larynx (“voice box”). and is attached to it which explains the movements of the thyroid during swallowing.
The nerves that operate the vocal cords lie behind the thyroid gland and their protection is a primary concern for the surgeon.
In certain cases (cancer or goiter) the separation between the nerve and the thyroid gland can be delicate and paralysis of the nerve (with change in the voice), most often temporary, can be observed. Speech therapy helps with recovery which is most often achieved in 4 to 6 weeks.

Why should calcium be monitored after surgery?

Behind the thyroid gland we find 4  small glands the size of a grain of rice: the parathyroids (2 right parathyroids and 2 left parathyroids).
These maintain the level of calcium in the blood. If calcium drops due to poor functioning of the parathyroid glands, you will notice the appearance of tingling and cramps. The surgeon does everything possible to keep the parathyroid glands with good vitality; However, these are very fragile and can function insufficiently for several weeks after operations such as total thyroidectomy (particularly for Graves' disease or cancer).
Monitoring calcium and taking calcium by mouth as well as vitamin D may be necessary in the event of postoperative hypoparathyroidism.

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