What is the Thyroid?
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped, two-lobed gland at the front of the neck, just above the trachea. A healthy human thyroid weighs approximately 15 to 20 grams [1]. The thyroid is the second largest endocrine gland in the body. The thyroid gland enlarges dramatically during pregnancy and when afflicted with many diseases [2].
What does the Thyroid do?
The thyroid is a gland that sits in front of your throat and is responsible for controlling much of the basic metabolic activity inside your body. It produces and secretes two hormones: thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), whose release variously controls basal metabolic processes and increases oxygen consumption in almost every tissue of the body [1]. Among other things, thyroid hormones also affect growth, the proliferation and differentiation of cells, brain function (including intelligence and memory), neuronal development, dentition and bone development [1].
Thyroid hormones influence lipid, carbohydrate and protein metabolism; heart rate; neural development; and cardiovascular, renal and brain function [3]. The thyroid hormones regulate, directly or indirectly, virtually every organ in your body and control many of the most critical functions of your body: breathing, heart rate, weight and hunger control, stress, digestion, moods and more [4].
The thyroid gland can also concentrate and take up iodine in the generation of thyroid hormone – this is a requirement for the formation of thyroid hormone [5]. Iodine in thyroid hormone synthesis is needed for the generation of thyroid hormone and is actively brought into the thyroid [6].
What problems are associated with the Thyroid?
The thyroid regulates metabolism. One of the thyroid’s roles is to maintain a constant balance of hormones in the blood (homeostasis). In homeostasis, only a certain amount of thyroid hormone is needed. Problems can occur when the thyroid makes too much hormone or too little [7].
If hyperthyroidism goes untreated, more serious health problems can result, including:
- an arrhythmia (irregular heart rhythm) that can lead to blood clots,
- stroke or heart failure, heart problems in general
- Graves’ ophthalmopathy (an eye disease that can result in double vision, light sensitivity and eye pain); in rare cases, blindness. It is also very painful.
- Infertility (women), pregnancy problems (preterm birth, low birth weight, high blood pressure in pregnancy and miscarriage) can occur [8].
By contrast, hypothyroidism, arising when the body creates excess cortisol and reduces the action of thyroid hormone, can result in symptoms such as:
- fatigue
- weight gain
- constipation
- intolerance to cold
- dry, thin hair
- dry skin
- slow heart rate
- hoarse voice
- puffy face
- excess menstrual flow in those who menstruate. [7].
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (a leading cause of thyroid dysfunction) – caused by autoantibodies that act upon the thyroid gland – is characterised by the development of hypothyroidism and associated with a range of autoimmune disorders and other diseases such as neurological/psychiatric deficits, fibromyalgia, left ventricular dysfunction, and gastrointestinal, reproductive and dermatological disorders [9].
Thyroid disorders can also have clinical overlap with sleep conditions such as insomnia, restless legs syndrome, and obstructive sleep apnea [10].
What is the Life Expectancy After Thyroid Removal?
The average life expecancy after a thyroidectomy (thyroid removal) depends on several factors such as the type of thyroid cancer, the stage of the cancer at the time of the surgery, the physical condition of the patient, and in some cases whether or not the surgery didn’t remove all of the cancer [11].
Differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) patients with TNM stage I, II or III tumours (ie, 86% of patients) do not have a significantly reduced life expectancy. The only patients who did have substantially reduced survival were patients over 45 years of age at diagnosis with extensive local invasion, lateral lymph node metastases, and/or distant metastases (TNM stage IVa, IVb and IVc) [12].
In adults aged 80 years or older who underwent thyroidectomy for benign lesions, the 0- to 30-day mortality, 31- to 90-day mortality and 91- to 365-day mortality rate after surgery was 0.4%, 0.2% and 2.5%, while the median survival time for them was 8.0 years [13].
Please note that after thyroidectomy, the patients are required to be examined by their physician for thyroid checkups and blood tests to check thyroid hormone levels according to the doctor’s directions, particularly their thyroid hormone replacement medication if a patient is on one [11].