Ruske, Dean

Definitions

Otolaryngology or ENT (ear, nose and throat) specialises in the diagnosis and treatment of ear, nose, throat, and head and neck diseases and disorders. This commonly involves surgery to the head andneck to treat such things as cancers of the oral cavity (mouth), pharynx (throat), and larynx (‘voice box’), as well as other tumours. Endocrine surgery involves surgery to any of the hormone-producing glands in the neck, such as removal of the thyroid (thyroidectomy), one or more of the parathyroid glands (parathyroidectomy), parotid (parotidectomy), lymph nodes and salivary glands. Other head and neck surgery may involve reconstructive treatment after injury or disease.moreOtolaryngology deals with diagnosis and treatment of diseases and disorders of the ear, nose, throat (ENT) and related structures of the head and neck, including the sinuses, larynx (voice box), oral cavity, and upper pharynx (mouth and throat). Otolaryngology is commonly called ENT.moreThe thyroid gland is located in the lower part of the neck, below the Adam’s apple, wrapped around the trachea (windpipe). It produces hormones which help regulate the heart rate, blood pressure,body temperature and metabolism (the rate at which food is converted into energy). Thyroid disorders can include an overactive gland, called hyperthyroidism, or an underactive gland, called hypothyroidism. Both can result in an enlarged thyroid gland. Sometimes surgery is required to remove the thyroid gland. A thyroid nodule is a small swelling or lump in the thyroid gland. They are usually examined with imaging such as ultrasound or MRI, and a fine-needle aspiration biopsy, a relatively painless procedure to take tissue fluid samples from the nodule. Thyroid surgery may be required when: the biopsy indicates the nodule is cancerous; the nodules are getting bigger; or the trachea or oesophagus is compressed because the thyroid is very large. Thyroid surgery involves removing part or all of the thyroid gland, under general anaesthesia. Usually, the lobe of the thyroid gland containing the nodule lump is removed. An analysis of tissue will determine if the rest of the thyroid gland should be removed, during the same surgery. (Alternatively, surgery may be done at a later date.)more