The Surgical Clinic

Scarless Thyroid & parathyroid surgery

TSC Rutherford

515 StoneCrest Pkwy | Suite 230
Smyrna, TN 37167
TEL 615.223.9935 FAX 615.891.5046

Transoral Thyroid Surgery

Has your doctor recommended you for thyroid surgery, but you’re worried about scarring? Thanks to modern developments in endoscopic surgery, we are proud to offer no scar thyroid and parathyroid surgery at TSC Rutherford.

Does thyroid surgery leave a scar?

Normal thyroid and parathyroid surgery involve making an incision horizontally across the neck in order for surgeons to access the thyroid gland. Traditional methods like this allow surgeons easy access to the targeted glands.

In contrast, scarless transoral endocrine surgery (TES) allows surgeons to operate on the thyroid and parathyroid through small incisions in the mouth and by use of endoscopic instruments. As a result, TES leaves no external scars on the patient’s neck, which is why it is a popular option for thyroid surgery patients.

scarless thyroid surgery is thyroid surgery serious nashville tn thyroid surgeon

Our Surgeons

The Surgical Clinic has a variety of surgeons who specialize in thyroid & parathyroid surgery throughout Middle Tennessee.

Learn More

Types of scarless thryoid surgery

Through novel transoral surgery, surgeons can remove diseased tissue from the neck through the following procedures:

Total Thyroidectomy
Partial thyroidectomy
Parathyroidectomy
Thyroid Lobectomy

Is Transoral Thyroid Surgey Safe?

According to Dr. Joshua Taylor, this method of surgery began here in the United States in 2015. Johns Hopkins in Maryland performs the highest volume in transoral endocrine surgery currently, but it is steadily becoming more widely accepted across the country and is both safe and effective.

Who performs scarless thyroid surgery?

Dr. Joshua Taylor is currently the only surgeon at The Surgical Clinic to perform this surgery. He attended a medical training course at Johns Hopkins where he focused on this procedure.

How is Transoral Thyroid Surgery Performed?

Once the patient is sedated, Transoral Thyroid Surgery begins with making three incisions behind the lip where surgical access ports are placed. Next, surgeons use a special pillow to align the patient’s neck while using endoscopic surgical tools to operate on the thyroid gland, parathyroid gland or surrounding lymph nodes.

After the diseased tissue is removed, it is placed in a small pouch and extracted from the neck through the surgical ports. When the surgery is completed, the ports are removed and the incisions will be closed with absorbable sutures.

Conditions treated with Thyroid surgery

With the scarless thyroidectomy, we are able to treat all types of endocrine disease relating to the thyroid and parathyroid glands. As mentioned, if the nearby lymph nodes in the neck and around the thyroid need to be removed, we can remove them during this procedure.

Specific conditions we can treat include: Small to Medium Thyroid Cancer Nodules, Grave’s Disease, Hyperthyroidism and Hyperparathyroidism.

What to Expect

Patients usually spend the first night after surgery in the hospital for monitoring. Typically, patients are sent home the next day. The sutures will be absorbed into the body within the next few days, and we usually have patients wear a compression garment around their neck to reduce swelling and promote healing.
For the first day after surgery, we place patients on a liquid diet, and then we have them introduce soft foods the next day. After about three days, patients should be able to start reintroducing solid foods.

It is important that patients keep their mouths especially clean for the first few days after surgery. We recommend that patients rinse with an antiseptic mouthwash after eating to ensure the incisions do not become infected.

What Are The Risks of Transoral Surgery?

The risks are similar to the risks of traditional thyroid and parathyroid surgery. The instructions for your recovery can prevent many of these risks, but others may be related to your medical history. When you consult with your surgery, make sure to thoroughly review you and your family’s health history in order to mitigate your risks.

The risks of thyroid surgery Include:

Infection, Swelling, Nerve Damage, Voice Hoarseness, Temporary,Voice Change, Breathing Problems from Anesthesia, Changes in Blood Pressure