Is surgery necessary for nodular thyroid adenoma?

Generally speaking, there are two types of nodular goiter. One is that the thyroid function is normal and there are no symptoms of hyperthyroidism. The other is that the thyroid function is abnormal and there is hyperthyroidism. Hyperthyroidism does not occur together with nodular goiter, but appears after the disease. Hyperthyroidism occurs most frequently in the elderly, especially female friends. So, is surgery necessary for nodular goiter?

Nodular goiter, also known as adenomatous goiter, actually refers to multiple nodules formed in the late stages of endemic goiter and sporadic goiter. The incidence rate is very high, and has been reported to be up to 4% of the population. Symptoms of hyperthyroidism are generally mild. Some patients only have some symptoms of hyperthyroidism, while other symptoms are absent or not obvious, such as only arrhythmia or heart failure; only emaciation, obvious weight loss; only systemic muscle weakness, especially limb muscle weakness; only mental agitation, obvious depression, etc. Physical examination can reveal enlarged thyroid gland, mostly bilateral symmetrical enlargement, and several nodules can be felt. The nodules are of different sizes, and generally there is no tremor or vascular murmur. Protrusion of the eyeballs generally does not occur. Serum T3 and T4 levels are increased, and a considerable number of patients may only have increased serum T3 levels, but no increased serum T4 levels. Thyroid scans can reveal multiple hot nodules, and some patients have both hot nodules and cold nodules.

The consequences of nodular goiter can be serious or minor. The specific health care treatment depends on how big the nodule is, what specific symptoms it has, etc., in order to decide on the corresponding treatment plan. If it is particularly large, surgical removal may be necessary. Although this treatment method has a high cure rate of about 70% and is effective quickly, it is very risky and the patient is in great pain. It also has many sequelae and can easily cause hypothyroidism, which can recur. It can also easily cause hoarseness after surgery and leave scars on the neck, seriously affecting appearance.

Internal medicine medication: Although there is no specific medicine, Chinese medicine generally uses kelp, seaweed, oysters, etc., and Western medicine uses Euthyrox and thyroid tablets. Although the cost is low, the treatment course is long and the effect is slow. In addition, the side effects are particularly large, the cure rate is relatively low, and the effect is not obvious.

The key to nodular goiter is prevention, and multiple radiological examinations of the neck should be avoided as much as possible. Patients should also check their thyroid function regularly. If they have a history of thyroid nodules, they should also have regular checks to prevent recurrence. At the beginning, you should use medication for treatment. If the effect is not good, it is best to go to the hospital for examination and treatment.