The General Surgery and Digestive System service at Parc Taulí has taken another step in the approach to small-moderate sized nodules (up to 6 centimeters) with a diagnosis of benign pathology or suspected neoplasia, offering thyroid lobectomy - the removal of one of the two thyroid lobes - on an outpatient basis - without the need for admission.
This change in treatment has been possible due to the excellent quality of care provided by the professionals of the Endocrine Surgery Unit – Head and Neck, the nursing and anesthesia and neurophysiology team, who have managed to reduce the frequency of laryngeal nerve injuries, postoperative hypocalcemia, asphyxiating hematomas and infections in immunocompetent patients below Spanish and European standards. “First, we took the step with hyperparathyroidism surgery. And now, with thyroid lobectomy. Patients need to be very calm because Despite being an outpatient surgery, we guarantee the same quality and safety standards as in the operation in the central surgical block. With intraoperative neuromonitoring of the patient, the dissection of the structures is less and the surgery is less traumatic.”, explains the coordinator of the Endocrine Surgery Unit – Head and Neck, Dr. F. Xavier Guirao.
At Parc Taulí, around 30 thyroid lobectomies are performed per year, 80% of these patients can benefit from outpatient surgery. People who benefit from this new approach “They must be patients with low comorbidity, with nodules that do not exceed 6 cm in size, without a high risk of neoplasia, without thyroiditis, without previous surgeries and with a body mass index that does not exceed normal.”, highlights Dr. Ariadna Cidoncha.
The duration of hemithyroidectomy – removal of one of the two lobes of the thyroid gland – generally does not exceed two hours. After the intervention, patients are under active surveillance for 6 hours. If there is no bleeding or immediate complications, they can go home and recover without the need for hospitalization. At 24 hours they receive a call to check that the patient's progress is adequate. "It has been proven that patients who are not admitted recover much faster and return to their daily lives sooner. They also avoid the complications derived from admission such as excessive bed rest, lack of limb mobility and loss of sleep.”, explains Dr. Cidoncha.
The Endocrine Surgery – Head and Neck team informs patients in advance, in the preoperative meeting, of what this intervention will be like. Once completed, the patient receives a very explanatory and explicit discharge about what diet and exercise they can do afterwards. In addition, they are provided with a contact telephone number in case they have any doubts or questions.
Dr. Guirao highlights that “With the incorporation of outpatient surgery in hemithyroidectomies, Parc Taulí is at the same surgical level, not only of the large hospitals in Catalonia; but also of the State and Europe".
What are thyroids?
The thyroid gland is an organ located in the anterior region of the neck. It consists of two symmetrical lobes joined together by the isthmus.
This gland uses iodine to produce certain hormones that are involved in the development and metabolism of our body. Among its functions are: controlling heart rate, body temperature, cholesterol levels, glucose and are essential for memory. These influence body weight and energy levels.
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