Thyroid diseases

Thyroid diseases

Mr David Howe, an experienced Consultant ENT and Head and Neck Surgeon committed to delivering personalised, expert care for a comprehensive range of ear, nose, throat, and thyroid conditions.

Thyroid nodules are common particularly in ladies. Up to 60% of ladies of the age of 50 in the UK may have nodules and the instance malignancy within a given nodule is relatively small at around 5%.

Many thyroid malignancies are extremely low risk indeed. If you notice a thyroid swelling identified it is important to get it assessed, this is initially done with an ultrasound scan and if necessary a needle biopsy. Mr Howe is an expert in the assessment of thyroid nodules and their subsequent management including surgery.

Some thyroids can enlarge to the extent that they could cause pressure on the windpipe or gullet. This can affect breathing and swallowing. Thyroids can enlarge behind the sternum extending knows as retrosternal extension. If this is causing significant compression it may be that treatment this is warranted such as operation. Mr Howe has many years of experience running a tertiary surgical practice for managing complex compressive goitres that extend behind the breast bone and require either primary or revision Surgery to help the patient with their symptoms.

The thyroid gland is important in synthesising and regulating the metabolism by producing thyroxine hormones. In some patients the thyroid can be underactive and requires replacement with levothyroxine medication. Some patients are affected by condition called hyperthyroidism where the thyroid gland produces excessive hormones and this can have effects of the body such as a tremor, weight loss, intolerance to heat and more general long-term health issues if untreated. Patient are initially treated with medical therapy with drugs such as carbimazole or PTU.

Thyrotoxicosis is most commonly related to a condition called Grave’s disease where the body produces antibodies to the thyroid gland, this stimulates the production of thyroid hormones. A small proportion of patients with thyrotoxicosis have a nodule with a thyroid that is producing too much thyroxine autonomously known as a toxic nodule. Often the appropriate treatment for thyrotoxicosis is a combination of medical treatment and subsequently radio iodine to control the over activity.

There are a group of patients however for which surgery for an overactive thyroid is more appropriate and Mr Howe has extensive experience in treating patients with Thyrotoxicosis safely with Thyroidectomy. Mr Howe recommends if you have Thyrotoxicosis that you are first seen and assessed by an endocrinologist.