What is the post op care for thyroidectomy patient?

What is the post op care for thyroidectomy patient?

Avoid strenuous physical activity and lifting heavy objects for 3 weeks after surgery or until your doctor says it is okay. Do not over-extend your neck backwards for 2 weeks after surgery. Ask your doctor when you can drive again. You may take a shower, unless you still have a drain near your incision.

What is the position after thyroidectomy?

Place in semi-Fowler’s position and support head and neck with sandbags or small pillows. Prevents hyperextension of the neck and protects the integrity of the suture line. Maintain head and neck in a neutral position and support during position changes.

What is the complication of thyroidectomy?

Major postoperative complications include wound infection, bleeding, airway obstruction (compressing hematoma, tracheomalacia), hypocalcemia, thyroid storm (uncommon, usually associated with Grave’s disease) and recurrent laryngeal nerve injury.

How should I sleep after thyroid surgery?

Elevate your head as much as possible. Use two pillows when sleeping. This helps prevent strain on the incision and helps to keep swelling down. Some bruising around the incision and slight swelling is normal.

How is thyroid surgery done?

The surgeon will make an incision over the thyroid gland and carefully remove all or part of the gland. Because the thyroid is small and surrounded by nerves and glands, the procedure may take 2 hours or more. You’ll wake up in the recovery room, where the staff will make sure you’re comfortable.

When do you start thyroxine after thyroidectomy?

Levothyroxine (L-T4) treatment began five days after surgery. Preoperatively euthyroid patients received 150 microg L-T4 daily following total thyroidectomy, 100 microg L-T4 after subtotal thyroidectomy, and 50 microg L-T4 after hemithyroidectomy.

What causes head elevation after thyroidectomy?

The American Thyroid Association also suggested to keep the patient in a head-up at 45°-Fowler’s position in the post anesthesia care unit following thyroidectomy to prevent hematoma formation on the incision site by facilitating venous return from the head and neck.

Can a thyroid grow back?

Although having the capacity to grow in response to a stimulus that perturbs the pituitary-thyroid axis, the thyroid gland is considered not a regenerative organ.

What should I monitor after thyroidectomy?

Patients who undergo a total thyroidectomy have their calcium levels monitored for iatrogenic hypoparathyroidism. Recent studies have compared the use of postoperative parathyroid hormone as an adjunct or replacement to measuring serum calcium levels in predicting hypoparathyroidism.

What is the most common post op complication of thyroidectomy?

Hypocalcemia and recurrent laryngeal nerve injury are the two most common post-thyroidectomy complications.

How should I lay down after thyroidectomy?

Head of Bed: Please elevate the head of your bed 30-45 degrees or sleep in a recliner at 30-45 degrees for the first 3-4 days to decrease swelling. The skin above the incision may look swollen after lying down for a few hours.

What is post thyroidectomy?

After a total thyroidectomy, you will take lifelong thyroid hormone replacements. Because your entire thyroid gland is removed, it will no longer supply you with the hormone you need to control your body’s metabolic processes. You might also have to take supplements after thyroidectomy to balance your calcium levels.

What is the priority nursing assessment for a client Post op thyroidectomy?

Thyroidectomy requires meticulous postoperative nursing care to prevent complications. Nursing priorities will include managing hyperthyroid state preoperatively, relieving pain, providing information about the surgical procedure, prognosis, and treatment needs, and preventing complications.

What are the complication of thyroidectomy?

What is the most important complication to monitor when caring for a patient after thyroidectomy?

There are a number of known and frequent postoperative complications after a thyroidectomy such as hypocalcaemia (being the most frequent), the presence of re-bleeding leading to a hematoma with less or greater severity, recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis.

What are the side effects of a thyroidectomy?

Risks

• Bleeding.
• Infection.
• Low parathyroid hormone levels (hypoparathyroidism) caused by surgical damage or removal of the parathyroid glands. These glands are located behind your thyroid and regulate blood calcium.
• Airway obstruction caused by bleeding.
• Permanent hoarse or weak voice due to nerve damage.

What are the side effects of having your thyroid removed?

Common side effects beginning after surgery include2 :

• Nausea and Vomiting.
• Neck Pain and Stiffness.
• A Sore Throat.
• Difficulty Swallowing.
• Hoarseness and Voice Problems.
• Transient Hypoparathyroidism.
• Hypothyroidism.
• Hematoma.

What to expect before and after thyroid surgery?

What to Expect After Thyroid Surgery. The area around the scar will be sensitive to sunlight and may need to be covered when going outside for several months to a year following your operation. Your surgeon will alert you to the care of your wound. You will have the area dry for at around 48-72 hours following surgery for a thyroid condition.

How long does it take to recover from thyroid surgery?

Although time off of work can differ depending on your overall health and the type of work you do, most people are able to go back to work within one to two weeks after thyroid cancer surgery. The average time is about a week.

Can you live without a thyroid?

No one can live without a thyroid. And that thought, along with the absolute lifelong dependency on thyroid meds, is not a comfortable state to be in, say many who had to have their thyroid removed.