During the operation, your surgeon will consult with the pathologist who will provide a preliminary diagnosis. However, the final pathology report requires careful study of the surgical specimen. Therefore, the final report is usually not available until about one week after the operation. Before you are discharged from the hospital, a single suture in the incision will be removed. The coating will peel off on its own within 3-7 days and a moisturizer can be applied to the wound to improve healing.
Swimming is the only major restriction.
In general, your activity level depends on the amount of discomfort you experience. Many patients have resumed golf or tennis within a week after the operation. You must see your surgeon for a routine follow-up office visit three weeks after surgery. In about 1 in 250 thyroid operations, the nerves that control the voice are affected by the surgical removal of the thyroid. When this occurs, the main difficulties are projection of the voice and production of high pitched sounds.