"A huge centipede on the neck!". That seems like the statement most people would make when speaking of thyroid surgery. Do you also share that concern?
The thyroid gland is located just below the front of the neck. It has a left and right lobe. Generally speaking, in traditional thyroid surgery, the doctor will decide on the area that needs to be removed depending on the location and number of thyroid tumor. If the tumor is only found on one side, then the incision will only be made on one side.
Extremely long centipede-like scar
However, in some cases, the doctor will need to make cuts on both thyroid lobes. This is normally performed on patients with tumors on both thyroid lobes.
Most thyroid surgery involves making an incision close to the thyroid gland. Doctors will make a cut about 7 to 8 cm on the neck to remove the tumor.
To most patients, the "extremely long scar" left behind from traditional thyroid surgery is particularly troubling. That’s especially if the scar is right in the centre of the neck, an area where it is noticeable. On the other hand, some recovered patients may see a growth in wound tissue (commonly seen in Asians). This results in a "centipede-like" scar of up to 8cm or longer. This could be greatly upsetting, especially for beauty-conscious female patients.
