Main Content

Postoperative Care after Thyroidectomy or Parathyroidectomy

1st Week – Wound Care:

1. Leave “steri-strips” (small band-aids) in place over the neck incision until your clinic follow-up appointment with your physician.
2. You may remove the small gauze dressing over the drain hole (if a drain was removed) the following day after discharge from the hospital.
3. Showering is preferable to bathing. If bathing, do not submerge your neck incision under water.
4. No cigarette smoking or use of other tobacco products.
5. Avoid trauma to the incision.
6. No heavy lifting or activity.
7. Keep the head of your bed elevated at night or try sleeping on two or more pillows.
8. Pre-operative at home medications may be resumed unless otherwise specified.

2nd-8th Week – Wound Care:

1. Continue to not use cigarettes or other tobacco products.
2. Continue to avoid trauma to the incision.
3. Apply a light coating of Vaseline or antibiotic ointment over the incision multiple times throughout the day (can stop this after two to three weeks).
4. Keep incision out of the sunlight, or if expecting exposure to sunlight, apply sunscreen (45 SPF or greater) to incision. This is to prevent/decrease tanning of the incision line. Continue this practice for the first six months to one year after your surgery.
5. As an additional scar prevention measure, apply silicone band-aids (for example: “Scar Zone” or “Merderma” bandages) at night for eight to ten weeks after surgery.

Disclaimer: Following the above recommendations is not a guarantee that your incision will be imperceptible and/or not produce a noticeable scar.

Things to Remember:

1. Take all medications as prescribed (for example: Vitamin D, Calcium Carbonate, Thyroid medications, etc.) upon leaving the hospital after your surgery.
2. If you have not done so already, call your Primary Care doctor or Endocrinology doctor (doctor that referred you to us for thyroidectomy) to schedule your return appointment.
3. Expect some mild hoarseness or discomfort during swallowing for the first few days (or even longer) after surgery.

When to Call the Doctor

1. Temperature elevation above 101.5 degrees
2. Sudden increase in swelling, pain, warmth, and/or redness at neck incision site
3. Hemorrhage (profuse bleeding)
4. Discharge from the wound edges or other evidence of infection
5. Development of any medication reaction
6. Numbness or tingling of the lips and/or in the tips of fingers or toes

For Questions or Emergency Care:
Call the office at 601-984-5160. You may need to speak with the doctor on-call.

Back to ENT Patient Information