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.

Scarless thyroid surgery: 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.