thyroidectomy
Meaning of thyroidectomy: Thyroidectomy removes part or all of the thyroid gland to treat conditions such as nodules, overactive thyroid, or thyroid cancer.
Definition of thyroidectomy
Thyroidectomy is a surgical procedure that removes part or all of the thyroid gland, the butterfly-shaped gland in the front of the neck that produces hormones regulating metabolism. The extent of surgery can range from removal of a single nodule or lobe to removal of the entire gland, depending on the condition being treated.
Reasons for thyroidectomy include thyroid cancer, large or symptomatic nodules, an overactive thyroid that has not responded to other treatment, and a gland that has become large enough to press on nearby structures such as the trachea or esophagus. After a total thyroidectomy, the body can no longer produce its own thyroid hormone, so hormone levels are monitored afterward.
A partial thyroidectomy leaves some thyroid tissue in place and may preserve some of the gland's hormone-producing function.
How thyroidectomy is built
- thyr/o, thyroid/o Combining form · Greek thyroid gland
- -ectomy Suffix · Greek surgical removal, excision
A medical term is read from its ending backwards: the suffix first, then the prefix, then the root. See all 223 word parts.
Used in a sentence
A total thyroidectomy was recommended given the size and location of the thyroid nodule.
Good to know
Whether thyroid hormone levels remain adequate after surgery depends largely on how much thyroid tissue remains, which distinguishes a partial thyroidectomy from a total thyroidectomy in terms of expected hormone function.
Word origin
Where “thyroidectomy” comes from
Formed from thyroid, from Greek thyreoeides, meaning "shield-shaped," and -ectomy, from Greek ektome, meaning "a cutting out."