What are the common classifications of thyroid masses? Answer:Benign masses: nodular goiter, thyroid adenoma, thyroid cyst, hyperthyroidism, thyroiditis; malignant masses: thyroid cancer. Who is at risk for malignant thyroid masses? Answer: According to statistics, about 20% of single thyroid nodules become cancerous, 5% of nodular goiter become cancerous, 3% of hyperthyroidism become malignant, and 10% of thyroid tumors become malignant. Therefore, aggressive surgical treatment of these benign thyroid diseases is an important measure to reduce the incidence of thyroid cancer. People at risk for possible malignancy of thyroid masses are: radiation therapy to the head and neck in childhood; frequent exposure to ionizing radiation; excessive iodine intake; a family history of thyroid cancer; a single nodule in an adult male; a single nodule in a child younger than 14 years of age; and a rapid short-term increase in the size of the thyroid mass. What types of thyroid surgery are available? Answer: There are three types of surgery: 1. Traditional surgery: the incision is located in the middle of the front of the neck, the length of the incision is about 6~8cm; 2. Lumpectomy with a small incision in front of the neck: the incision is located in the middle of the front of the neck, which is easy to be covered by clothing, the length of the incision is about 2cm; 3. Lumpectomy with a thoracic approach: the incision is shifted to the thorax, which consists of two incisions of 0.5cm and one incision of 1cm, and there is no scar at all on the neck. What are the potential dangers of thyroid surgery? Answer:Due to the special location and function of the thyroid gland in the neck, there are potential dangers in performing thyroid surgery. The most common ones are: affecting the function of the peripheral nerves, resulting in hoarseness, choking and coughing in drinking water, lowering of voice pitch, and even difficulty in breathing; affecting the function of the dorsal parathyroid glands, resulting in trembling of the hands, numbness, and convulsions; and, if a large number of thyroids need to be removed, there are signs of hypothyroidism after the surgery such as Hypothyroidism, such as loss of appetite, fatigue, indifference, slow reaction, etc.; intraoperative or postoperative bleeding, compression of the trachea, tracheotomy and blood transfusion; tracheal collapse after removal of too large a mass, tracheotomy. Why do some people need another operation in a short period of time? Answer: If the resected thyroid mass is confirmed to be a malignant tumor in the pathology report one week after the surgery, reoperation is needed within one week or three months to expand the scope of the resection, which is beneficial to the treatment of the tumor, reduce the possibility of spread of the cancer, and prolong the patient’s survival. Do I need to continue treatment after thyroid surgery? A: Most of the patients need to have regular checkups in the Endocrinology Department and our clinic after thyroid surgery. Among them, patients with nodular goiter, hyperthyroidism, thyroid cancer and post-operative hypothyroidism need to go to the Endocrinology Department clinic for a checkup of the thyroid function within two weeks after the surgery and take thyroxine tablets (Euthyrox) under the guidance of specialists for treatment. What are the advantages of Luminal Thyroid Surgery? Answer: 1, the same treatment effect as traditional surgery; 2, due to the use of ultrasonic knife and minimally invasive instruments, trauma is small, less bleeding, and faster recovery; 3, due to the magnifying effect of the cavity mirror, there is less chance of injury to nerves, blood vessels and parathyroid glands; 4, the cervical cutaneous nerve is not cut off, so there is no numbness and sensory abnormalities of the neck after the operation; 5, the cervical flap has a smaller scope of freeing, and there is no discomfort caused by adhesion contracture when swallowing; 6, the greater advantage lies in the fact that there is no need of adhesion contracture when swallowing. The greater advantage lies in the fact that the neck is completely free of traces or tiny traces, which can maximize the protection of patient’s privacy; 7. Because the incision is small, it meets the aesthetic requirements of most patients, and the psychological trauma is reduced to a minimum.