Thyroidectomy

• • For total thyroid, remove the lobe with the lesion first.

Preoperative Details

• 1. Position with arms tucked, shoulder roll, head extended.

  2. No paralytics.

Operative Details

• 1. Incision one finger breath below cricoid in a horizontal skin line.

  2. Mobilize subplatysmal skin flaps cranialy to thyroid cartilage and caudally to sternal notch.

  3. Incise median raphae in the midline and mobilize strap muscles laterally.

  4. Take superior pole vessels close to the thyroid.

  5. Retract thyroid inferiorly and out of wound (down & out) away from superior laryngeal wound.

  6. Identify parathyroids and recurrent laryngeal nerve (and preserve).

  7. Take down pyramidal lobe.

  8. Take thyroid from lateral to medial.

• • Repeat for contralateral side if performing total thyroidectomy

  • Close strap muscles