What are they?
Nodules are lumps within the thyroid gland. They are common and only 5% are malignant. Thyroid nodules require careful assessment as described below.

What are the causes of thyroid lumps?
Common causes include cysts, adenomas and colloid nodules with malignant causes being relatively uncommon.

There are two principal operations – thyroid lobectomy (removing one half of the thyroid gland) and total thyroidectomy (removing all the thyroid gland).

An advice sheet on thyroid surgery for thyroid lumps / goitres can be downloaded below.

For most patients total thyroidectomy will involve only an overnight stay in hospital. You will be sent home with a supply of thyroid hormone tablets as replacement for your natural hormone.

Thyroid lobectomy is a smaller operation and the recovery is quicker. Some patients are suitable to have this done and to go home on the day of operation.

Traditionally thyroid surgery has been considered a major operation and patients have often stayed in for several days and had drains placed in the neck after an operation.

This is still how thyroid surgery is performed in many hospitals in the UK

Strap muscles

These run vertically in the middle of the neck below the skin (see diagram). Many surgeons still cut across them to access the thyroid gland beneath. Cutting any muscle is painful afterwards, can cause bleeding and in this cosmetic area may affect the way your neck looks forever.

Mr McLaren does not cut these muscles except in rare circumstances.

Harmonic Scalpel

The Harnomic scalpel and now the Harmonic Focus device are used in the majority of thyroid operations undertaken by Mr Mclaren.

The Harmonic Scalpel is manufactured by Ethicon Endosurgery and is specifically designed for fine work in and around the thyroid gland.  The device assists in the performance of thyroid surgery by minimising bleeding and therefore helping the surgeon visualise the key structures around the thyroid gland.

Mr McLaren has been using the Harmonic Scalpel for thyroid surgery for over 5 years and lectures on its use and daycase thyroid surgery at the European Surgical Institute in Hamburg.