Common Conditions

Thyroid: Post-Operation

Although you will be conscious a minute or two after the operation ends, you are unlikely to remember anything until you are back in your bed on the ward. Some patients feel a bit sick for up to 24 hours after operation, but this passes off. You will be given some treatment for sickness if necessary. You may be given oxygen from a face mask for a few hours if you have had chest problems in the past.

The drugs we give for a general anaesthetic will make you clumsy, slow and forgetful for about 24 hours. This happens even if you feel quite alright.

For 24 hours after your general anaesthetic:

• Do not make any important decisions.
• Do not drive.
• Do not use machinery at work or at home. (e.g. do not mow the lawn).

There is some discomfort on moving rather than severe pain. You will be given injections or tablets to control this as required. Ask for more if the pain is still unpleasant. You will be expected to get out of bed the day of the operation despite the discomfort. You will not do the wound any harm, and the exercise is very helpful for you. The day after the operation you should be able to walk slowly. By the end of the second week the wound should be virtually pain-free.

You will be able to drink and have some light food within an hour or two of the operation provided you are not feeling sick. The next day you should be able to manage a normal diet. It is quite normal for the bowels not to open for a day or so after operation. If you have not opened your bowels after 2 days and you feel uncomfortable, you can take a laxative.

It is important that you pass urine and empty your bladder within 6-12 hours of the operation. If you find using a bed pan or a bottle difficult, the nurses will assist you to a commode or the toilet. If you still cannot pass urine let the nurses know and steps will be taken to correct the problem.

The wound has a dressing which may show some staining with old blood in the first 24 hours. You can take the dressing off after 48 hours. Most patients prefer to keep a dressing on the wound to protect it from rubbing from clothing. There may be some purple bruising around the wound which spreads downward by gravity and fades to a yellow colour after 2 to 3 days. It is not important. There may be some swelling of the surrounding skin which also improves over 2 to 3 weeks After 7 to 10 days, slight crusts on the wound will fall off. Occasionally minor match head sized blebs form on the wound line. These settle down after discharging a blob of yellow fluid for a day or so. You can wash the wound area 48 hours after the operation. Soap and warm tap water are entirely adequate. Salted water is not necessary. You can shower or take a bath as often as you want.

Following surgery, it is sometimes recommended that patients take thyroid replacement, even if only a small proportion of the gland requires treatment. This protects the patient from under-function of the remaining gland and the occurrence of swellings in residual thyroid tissue. If a patient has had thyroid cancer, then they may also require assessment by an oncologist (cancer specialist) and treatment with radioactive iodine capsules or external X-ray treatment to the neck. However, those decisions depend on the final report on the tissue removed by the surgeon and examined by the pathologist.

You will be given an appointment to visit the Outpatient Department about one month after you leave hospital. If your sutures have not still dissolved they will be removed at this time. Please ask the nurses for sick notes, certificates etc, the day before discharge.