There are a few situations in which thyroid surgery may be recommended, even if the biopsy result is benign. In these situations, thyroid surgery removes the pressure in this area of the neck. In addition, if these symptoms are ignored for many years and the nodule continues to grow, the problem may become so severe that emergency surgery is necessary. Other people with benign thyroid disease may choose to undergo thyroid surgery for cosmetic reasons. Although the nodule may not be causing symptoms, the lump in the throat may make you be self-conscious about the way the neck lump looks.
Many people wear scarves or turtlenecks to try to hide their lump.
Although thyroid surgery leaves a small scar, the scar is often less conspicuous than the lump, particularly since it is usually hidden in a natural fold of the neck. If an FNA reveals that a nodule is cancerous, surgery is recommended to remove it. It is important to keep in mind that the experience of the pathologist is extremely important in this setting. Therefore, it is often useful to have slides reviewed by another pathologist if the pathologist is not known to be experienced in this area. Nodules that are diagnosed by FNA as indeterminate or suspicious fall somewhere between benign and cancerous.