5-061.2:

You have had an operation to remove one side of your thyroid gland along with the parathyroid glands on that side.

The thyroid gland is a small organ in the neck below the larynx. It is made up of two sides that lie to the right and left of the trachea. The two sides are connected to each other by a bridge of thyroid gland tissue. The parathyroid glands are 4 small glands at the edge of the thyroid gland.

The thyroid gland needs iodine to produce important messenger substances for the body. These messenger substances influence the heartbeat, digestion, and body temperature, among other things. The parathyroid glands produce a messenger substance that is important in bone metabolism. This messenger substance affects the calcium and phosphate content in the body.

There are various reasons why one side of your thyroid gland along with the parathyroid glands on that side are removed. One reason may be that the thyroid gland has become enlarged. Sometimes, too, a new type of tissue that needs to be removed may have formed in the thyroid gland or parathyroid gland.

To remove part of the thyroid gland along with the parathyroid glands, an incision is first made through the skin at the front of the neck. The thyroid gland tissue and the parathyroid glands can then be detached.