Thyroid & Parathyroid

What and where is the thyroid gland?

The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped gland that consists of two halves connected by a bridge that sits in front of the windpipe. The thyroid gland is located in the lower part of the neck. It produces thyroid hormones which regulate your body’s metabolism.

There are a number of important structures close by to the thyroid gland. These are particularly relevant during thyroid surgery. The nerves that come to the voice box (the recurrent laryngeal nerves and the superior laryngeal nerves) as well as the parathyroid glands are both in close proximity to the thyroid gland. Injury to the nerves to the voice box is rare however it can cause a change (huskiness) in the voice. The function of these nerves is best done by an ENT surgeon using a fibreoptic telescope through the nose to visualize the vocal cords.

There are four parathyroid glands (two on each side) and these lie in close proximity to the thyroid gland. They are responsible for regulating calcium levels in the body. They may become overactive (either one gland or multiple) and need removal if the calcium levels are elevated. During thyroid surgery they may be at risk of injury. In this case, they are underactive and up to 20% of patients having the whole thyroid gland removed will need to take calcium replacement in the short term. This number is much less (2-3%) who require long-term thyroid replacement.