Thyroid Problems after Spine Surgery

The thyroid is a very important gland in the neck that secretes and regulates various hormones throughout the body. In this article, we are going to discuss the potential risk of developing a thyroid issue after a minimally invasive keyhole spinal surgery, and how to best avoid these problems.

The Function of the Thyroid

The thyroid glands are located in your neck and are responsible for regulating hormones that control our metabolism, growth, and mood. When the thyroid is working properly, you won’t notice anything out of the ordinary. However, sometimes the thyroid can begin secreting an imbalanced amount of hormones (either too much or too little). When this happens it can cause pain, unintended weight gain or loss, and mood swings.

Surgery-Related Thyroid Issues

How could a surgical procedure impact the thyroid, which is located in the neck, you might ask? Well, certain procedures of the cervical (neck) spine require the surgeon to make an incision in the front of the neck to navigate to the spinal segments in question. During this operation it’s possible for the surgeon to disturb or damage the thyroid glands in the neck. In turn, this can cause various thyroid conditions like goiter, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, and thyroiditis. The best way to prevent this is to make sure you the most minimally invasive keyhole surgery possible.

Inspired Spine’s study-backed, minimally invasive keyhole surgical techniques offer shorter hospital stays, faster recoveries, and lower risk of surgical issues. With our procedures (The Inspired OLLIF and The Inspired MIS-DTIF) surgeons are able to accomplish their goals with tiny incisions and minimal interference with surrounding bodily structures. This means your risk of developing a thyroid or other issue after surgery is significantly lower than it would be with other minimally invasive keyhole spine surgeries. To learn more about these revolutionary spine surgery procedures contact us today. You can also use our online tool to find a surgeon in your area who is trained in Inspired Spine surgical techniques.