There are multiple different reasons why Dr. Karanfilov might recommend thyroid surgery. For many patients, large, suspicious, or cancerous thyroid nodules are the culprit. The American Thyroid Association has released detailed guidelines on appropriate management of thyroid nodules and cancers, and Dr. Karanfilov adheres very closely to these recommendations which have been set forth by the field’s leading experts. Thyroidectomy may also be recommended for an enlarged thyroid gland, commonly referred to as goiter, that is causing symptoms such as difficulty swallowing or shortness of breath. Hyperthyroidism, or a thyroid gland producing excessive hormone, may also be a reason for surgery if medical management fails to control symptoms.
Dr. Karanfilov typically performs two main types of thyroid operations: lobectomy and total thyroidectomy. Lobectomy involves the removal of one half of the thyroid gland. As the name implies, total thyroidectomy means the removal of the entire thyroid gland (both sides). There are potential positives and negatives to each type of surgery, and Dr. Karanfilov reviews these in detail with every patient. In all cases, Dr. Karanfilov performs thyroid surgery under general anesthesia in the OR. Based on the specific type of surgery and individual patient characteristics, this can be either a same-day or overnight observation operation. Dr. Karanfilov performs all of his thyroid surgery using state of the art vagal and recurrent laryngeal nerve monitoring techniques.
