Conventional thyroid surgery is done through an incision in the front of the neck. The size of the incision depends on factors such as how large your thyroid is and whether the surgeon needs to remove lymph nodes.
If your thyroid isn’t very large, and no lymph nodes are involved, you may be a candidate for minimal-access surgery. Said Kazaure, “We use a small incision typically in a neck crease, which minimizes the scar.” The incision is directly over the thyroid, making it easy for the surgeon to access the gland.
Another approach is robot-assisted surgery. The surgeon controls a robotic system that directs the movements of small instruments inserted into an incision under your arm. Using the system’s high-definition 3D vision technology, the surgeon guides the instruments under your skin to your thyroid, avoiding a neck scar. “Some patients are candidates for this procedure, as long as the thyroid isn’t too big,” said Stang, who has extensive experience with this technique. “However, if it’s thyroid cancer and it’s too advanced or has spread beyond the thyroid, then a conventional surgical approach is best.”