Endocrine Surgery
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Endocrine Conditions and Surgery
Endocrine surgery is performed to treat endocrine disorders. Endocrine disorders are diseases that affect the endocrine glands of the body. The endocrine system is responsible for producing hormones that help regulate appetite, growth, breathing, fluid balance, feminisation and virilisation, and weight control. Endocrine glands include the pancreas, the pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal glands.
Endocrine surgery is indicated to treat the following endocrine diseases:
- Grave’s Disease – this is an immune system disorder that results in the overproduction of the thyroid hormones. It causes irritability, tremor of the hands or fingers, enlargement of the thyroid gland and fatigue, to name a few.
- Cushing Syndrome – this is a medical condition that occurs when the body has a lot of cortisol hormone. Cushing syndrome is the occurrence of a fatty hump between the shoulders, rounded face, and pink or purple stretch marks on the skin. The condition may occur due to taking corticosteroid medication, and can result in high blood pressure, bone loss and sometimes type 2 diabetes.
- Addison’s Disease – also known as adrenal insufficiency, is a disorder that occurs when the body is unable to produce enough certain hormones such as cortisol and aldosterone hormones.
- Cancer – this is an abnormal cell growth that potentially invades or spreads to other parts of the body. Endocrine cancers include parathyroid carcinoma, adrenal cancer and thyroid cancer.
Surgical Treatment
There are different types of endocrine surgery and the type of surgery to be performed depends on the patient’s overall health and the part of the endocrine system that is affected. Dr Ndhluni may perform the following surgeries:
- Thyroidectomy – this is the surgical removal of a portion or entire thyroid gland. During a thyroidectomy, the surgeon makes an incision on the lower centre of the neck. He will remove the entire or a portion of the thyroid gland, examine and remove the lymph nodes around the thyroid.
- Parathyroidectomy – this is the removal of the parathyroid glands. Parathyroid glands are small, round glands that are attached to the back of the thyroid gland.
- Adrenalectomy – this is a surgical procedure done to remove one or both adrenal glands. When both adrenal glands are removed, hormone medications will be prescribed.
FAQ
What are the common symptoms of endocrine system disorders?
Symptoms of endocrine disorders include:
- Irritability and mood changes
- Fatigue
- Diarrhoea
- High blood pressure
- Thinning and weakening of the bones, called osteoporosis.
Does having a thyroid nodule mean I have cancer?
Thyroid nodules are very common, and 95% of them are benign and are not bothersome. Therefore, to evaluate whether the nodule is cancerous or non-cancerous, Dr Ndhluni may perform a fine needle aspiration.
Can endocrine surgery be performed using minimally invasive procedures?
Yes, minimally invasive surgery may be utilised to perform endocrine surgery.
Endocrine Conditions and Surgery
Endocrine surgery is performed to treat endocrine disorders. Endocrine disorders are diseases that affect the endocrine glands of the body. The endocrine system is responsible for producing hormones that help regulate appetite, growth, breathing, fluid balance, feminisation and virilisation, and weight control. Endocrine glands include the pancreas, the pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal glands.
Endocrine surgery is indicated to treat the following endocrine diseases:
- Grave’s Disease – this is an immune system disorder that results in the overproduction of the thyroid hormones. It causes irritability, tremor of the hands or fingers, enlargement of the thyroid gland and fatigue, to name a few.
- Cushing Syndrome – this is a medical condition that occurs when the body has a lot of cortisol hormone. Cushing syndrome is the occurrence of a fatty hump between the shoulders, rounded face, and pink or purple stretch marks on the skin. The condition may occur due to taking corticosteroid medication, and can result in high blood pressure, bone loss and sometimes type 2 diabetes.
- Addison’s Disease – also known as adrenal insufficiency, is a disorder that occurs when the body is unable to produce enough certain hormones such as cortisol and aldosterone hormones.
- Cancer – this is an abnormal cell growth that potentially invades or spreads to other parts of the body. Endocrine cancers include parathyroid carcinoma, adrenal cancer and thyroid cancer.
Surgical Treatment
There are different types of endocrine surgery and the type of surgery to be performed depends on the patient’s overall health and the part of the endocrine system that is affected. Dr Ndhluni may perform the following surgeries:
- Thyroidectomy – this is the surgical removal of a portion or entire thyroid gland. During a thyroidectomy, the surgeon makes an incision on the lower centre of the neck. He will remove the entire or a portion of the thyroid gland, examine and remove the lymph nodes around the thyroid.
- Parathyroidectomy – this is the removal of the parathyroid glands. Parathyroid glands are small, round glands that are attached to the back of the thyroid gland.
- Adrenalectomy– this is a surgical procedure done to remove one or both adrenal glands. When both adrenal glands are removed, hormone medications will be prescribed.
FAQ
What are the common symptoms of endocrine system disorders?
Symptoms of endocrine disorders include:
- Irritability and mood changes
- Fatigue
- Diarrhoea
- High blood pressure
- Thinning and weakening of the bones, called osteoporosis.
Does having a thyroid nodule mean I have cancer?
Thyroid nodules are very common, and 95% of them are benign and are not bothersome. Therefore, to evaluate whether the nodule is cancerous or non-cancerous, Dr Ndhluni may perform a fine needle aspiration.
Can endocrine surgery be performed using minimally invasive procedures?
Yes, minimally invasive surgery may be utilised to perform endocrine surgery.