Thyroid Diseases

Abstract

The thyroid plays a key role in normal metabolic and homeostatic processes, including thermomodulation, protein synthesis, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, and modulation of adrenergic regulation. Surgical consultations are most often requested for control of hyperthyroidism or for treatment of euthyroid nodular disease. This review describes the approach to the patient with hyperthyroidism and with euthyroid nodular disease, including papillary, follicular, anaplastic, medullary, and primary thyroid cancer, and oncocytic (Hürthle cell) carcinoma. Operative techniques of thyroidectomy are described and include positioning, incisions-making, and troubleshooting. Postoperative care, including thyroid hormone management, is described. Complications and outcome evaluation are discussed. Tables list the etiologies of hyperthyroidism, benign and malignant etiologies of euthyroid nodular disease, familial syndromes of thyroid disease, the Bethesda classification of fine needle aspiration cytology and associated malignancy risk, the elements of common prognostic schemes for well-differentiated thyroid cancer, and the staging of differentiated, medullary, and anaplastic thyroid cancer. Figures show the six levels of cervical lymph nodes, the initial incision in a thyroidectomy, a midline incision, the superior pole vessels, the upper and lower parathyroid glands, the recurrent laryngeal nerve, and Delphian lymph nodes. An algorithm shows the approach to the patient with thyroid disease This review contains 7 figures, 8 tables, and 64 references.