Thyroid

In anatomy, the thyroid is the largest endocrine gland in the body. It is situated on the front side of the neck at the level of C5 and T1 vertebral bodies, just below the laryngeal prominence (Adam's apple), near the thyroid cartilage over the trachea but covered by layers of skin and muscle. The thyroid is quite large for an endocrine gland - 15-40 grams in adults- and butterfly-shaped: the wings correspond to the lobes and the body to the isthmus of the thyroid. Normally it is larger during menstruation and in pregnant women.

Surgical Removal of the Thyroid

If the thyroid gland must be removed surgically for any reason, care must be taken to avoid damage to the adjacent structures that are extremely susceptible to accidental removal and/or severence. In particular, the parathyroid glands, which produce parathormone (PTH) reside on the posterior wall of the thyroid gland, and the recurrent laryngeal nerves, which provide motor control for all external muscles of the larynx except for the cricothyroid muscle, also runs along the posterior thyroid. Accidental laceration of either of the two or both recurrent laryngeal nerves will lead to paralysis of the vocal cords and their associated muscles and a subsequent muting effect on the patient.

Related Topics:
Parathyroid gland - Parathormone - Recurrent laryngeal nerve

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