Your Surgery

Understand the operation

Knowing where the gland sits and what will be removed makes the rest of the process easier to follow.

Adrenal surgery is performed robotically, using the da Vinci 5, the most recent robotic surgical system.

Prepare

Start the prehabilitation exercises as early as you can before your operation.

Your medications

• If you take methimazole, continue it through the day of surgery. If you normally take it in the morning, take it the morning of surgery.
• If you take cinacalcet (Sensipar), you can stop it 2 days before surgery.
• If you take doxazosin, continue it through the day of surgery. If you normally take it in the morning, take it the morning of surgery.
• If you take blood thinners, tell us. We will discuss them with you and plan accordingly.

The day of surgery

• The day before surgery, the operating room calls you with your arrival time and instructions.
• Nothing to eat or drink after midnight the night before surgery.
• Most procedures take place at Rush University Medical Center.
• Thyroid and parathyroid operations typically take 1 to 3 hours.

In the hospital

• In the recovery area you start with clear liquids.
• Once you reach your hospital room or go home, you can eat whatever you want.
• You can eat light foods a few hours after the operation, and return to a regular diet the following day.
• In the recovery area we check your calcium and PTH levels. Based on those, we decide how much calcium you take at home and whether you need any additional medication.
• After a thyroid lobectomy, most patients go home the same day, after about 4 hours in the recovery area.
• After a total thyroidectomy or a more complex operation, you stay overnight.
• Most patients go home the same day, after about 4 hours in the recovery area.
• Most patients go home the following day.
• Your incisions are closed with surgical glue. There are no stitches to remove.

Recovering at home

• You can shower the day after surgery.
• No baths and no swimming for 3 weeks.
• No driving for 3 days.
• There is no restriction on driving.
• No lifting more than 20 pounds for 3 weeks.
• Plan on 2 weeks off work. If you are recovering quickly and your job is not physically demanding, you can return earlier.
• The surgical glue falls off in about 2 weeks.

Medications after surgery

• If your whole thyroid is removed, you will need thyroid hormone replacement (levothyroxine) every morning for life. You start it the day after surgery.
• If half of your thyroid is removed, you will most likely not need thyroid hormone replacement.
• We check your thyroid levels 6 weeks after surgery.

• Expect to take calcium after surgery. We start it in the hospital. You will need it for some time, not for life.
• You may need blood tests in the first 2 weeks after surgery to make sure your calcium is where it should be.

Signs of low calcium

• Numbness or tingling around your mouth or in your fingertips may mean your calcium is low.
• If that happens, take 2 Tums tablets.
• If it has not gone away after half an hour, take another 2 Tums and call us at (312) 942-5500.

Follow-up visit and pathology

• Your follow-up visit is about 2 weeks after surgery.
• The pathology report returns in 10 to 14 days. We review it together at that visit.

Caring for your scar

• Use sunscreen on the scar whenever you are outside.
• Use sunscreen on the incisions if they are exposed to the sun. If they stay covered, you do not need it.
• You can use a scar cream if you wish.